Jimmy Kimmel has issued an apology after coming under fire for wearing blackface in old sketches.
The late night host on Tuesday apologized after sketches from The Man Show in which he wore blackface once again resurfaced over the past few weeks.
"There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke," he said.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Kimmel said that when he wore blackface while impersonating Karl Malone, he "never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being, one that had no more to do with Karl's skin color than it did his bulging muscles and bald head." These sketches are "embarrassing" to look back on, Kimmel said, adding that "I believe that I have evolved and matured over the last twenty-plus years, and I hope that is evident to anyone who watches my show."
In his statement, Kimmel also said it's frustrating "that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices" and swiped "those who feign outrage to advance their oppressive and genuinely racist agendas." Kimmel recently announced he's taking a break from his show for the summer, though he denied on Tuesday that this is because of the controversy, saying it had been planned for more than a year.
This apology from Kimmel comes after The Tonight Show's Jimmy Fallon also apologized for wearing blackface while playing Chris Rock on SNL in an old sketch. "I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable," Fallon said.
-
September 1 editorial cartoonsCartoons Monday’s political cartoons include Labor Day picnic, branding strategy, and more
-
What is Tony Blair's plan for Gaza?Today's Big Question Former PM has reportedly been putting together a post-war strategy 'for the past several months'
-
When does autumn begin?The Explainer The UK is experiencing a 'false autumn', as climate change shifts seasonal weather patterns
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
