Disney, the Democrat operative, who owns ABC among other “entertainment” outlets, has just accomplished, in the minds of millions and millions and millions of Americans, a publicity stunt with no shame.
As a disclaimer, I have not watched late night talk shows since Johnny Carson, a true comedian and late night entertainer, retired. Everyone one loved Johnny, no matter their political affliction, and he was actually funny. I remember him before the Tonight Show on various panel game shows and the like and he was always hilarious. And he seemed normal, not a caricature, like your brother or next door neighbor.
But back to Disney and ABC. From what I hear, The Jimmy Kamal Show was becoming a ratings’ disaster as are most broadcast networks shows. How could they get higher ratings?
Oh, wait, let’s exploit the murder of a young Political Savant, a Republican influencer by the way, more popular on social media, than Kimmel on broadcast television.
Oh, and wait, after Kimmel exploits this horrible murder, let’s pretend to cancel him, blame President Trump and his censorship agenda (which doesn’t compare to the Democrat’s censorship of Covid discussions on social media and censorship of Trump when he was a presidential candidate) this all directed by the reigning president at the time, Joe Autopen Biden!
Oh, and after the firestorm over the canceling of a mediocre to horrible late night show, made out to be politically demanded by the president, we’ll bring him back and he’ll have the highest ratings his show has ever had or will ever have.
I don’t care if Kimmel stays or goes. But I feel bad for Americans being played in such a ridiculous, Orwellian publicity stunt by democrats.
SHAME ON DEMOCRAT DISNEY CORPORATION FOR EXPLOITING A TRAGEDY FOR RATINGS AND POLITICAL MANEUVERING!
SHEESH!
44 comments:
Orwellian...? Have you even READ Orwell?
The manipulation was Trump's, not Disney's. "On Thursday, President Donald Trump suggested his administration should revoke the licenses of broadcast TV stations that he said are “against” him. Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr has made similar threats, including during a CNBC interview, also on Thursday."
Trump: “They give me only bad publicity, press. I mean, they’re getting a license,” Trump said. “I would think maybe their license should be taken away.”
What a weak, frightened character Trump is. Someone makes him the butt of a joke, criticizes him, calls out his lies and his braggadocio, and he flies into a rage worthy of a three year-old denied a second cookie.
Trump should take a lesson from LJB who, after being savaged and satirized by the Smothers Brothers, responded with: "It is part of the price of leadership of this great and free nation to be the target of clever satirists. You have given the gift of laughter to our people. May we never grow so somber or self-important that we fail to appreciate the humor in our lives.”
In other words, Trump should grow up.
The Left cheered getting rid of Roseanne Barr over a tweet and Tucker Carlson as well. They have no standards, except double standards.
We know, all of us, that Trump likes playing you and other democrats as well as the media LIKE A FIDDLE! And of course, he knows as you do that he can’t do what he threatens and if he tried it would go to the Supreme Court. Thus, he played Democrat Disney/ABC like a Fiddle and they played him like one too—they learned from the master, and Jimmy Kamala got his highest ratings ever! That was a great publicity stunt. What’s Orwellian is that you and so many others don’t know they are being played like a fiddle by Trump or Disney!
Setting aside the issue of rules regarding licenses for public airwaves, government actors should not be attempting to silence or suppress anyone's speech. This is not complicated.
Trump is the one being played with.
“President Trump wants to make sure that he is giving every opportunity for peace to get this war resolved. But Putin is playing him right now,” Sen. Joni Ernst (REPUBLICAN) of Iowa said Wednesday, before adding: “And I think the president understands that.”
Sen. Thom Tillis (REPUBLICAN) made similar comments. “I think Russia is playing – they’re really playing us like a piano right now,” the North Carolina Republican said, while claiming Trump wasn’t “being naïve.”
Senate Armed Services Chairman Roger Wicker of Mississippi (REPUBLICAN) He said Trump “has given Vladimir Putin every chance,” but that the Russian president has “mocked the peace process” and “played games with peace talks.”
"Trump Has No Idea How to Do Diplomacy. Even when he’s partly right, he’s wrong." Stephen M. Walt, Foreign Policy
"Former Aide Reveals How Vladimir Putin Played Donald Trump Like A Fiddle On Phone Call" Fiona Hill (REPUBLICAN) Deputy Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs on President Trump's National Security Council staff.
"Putin played Trump masterfully, generous with the crude flattery, something the European leaders offered Monday at the White House." "Jerusalem Post, August 21, 2025
Then you must have condemned the Biden Administration which mastered the art of suppressing viewpoints
Fiddle Dee Dee, Fiddle Dee Dum
Fiddle dee dee!
Fiddle dee dum!
I hear the music
of the night's hum.
Chirping crickets,
Croaking frogs,
Screeching owls,
Barking dogs.
Fiddle dee dee!
Fiddle dee dum!
Listen to the music
of the night's hum.
Skunks skirting,
Raccoons rummaging,
Nightingales sing,
Wolfs howling.
Fiddle dee dee
Fiddle dee dum
Falling asleep
to the night's hum.
Fiddle dee dee!
Fiddle dee dum!
Do you hear the music
of the night's hum?
Yeah, that's about the type of non-response we've come to expect...
Yes, obviously.
You and Trump supporters are the ones being played. The "Great Dealmaker," by his own admission, has screwed American farmers, many of whom were also taken in by his nonsense.
"Trump. I’m Begging the President to End the Trade War. The tariffs on China could put us out of business by 2027. All our blood, sweat, and toil could vanish with the stroke of a pen." Caleb Ragland, 38, from Magnolia, Kentucky, who comes from a long line of farmers stretching back 200 years, is one of them—having voted for Trump in 2016, 2020, and 2024. Still, as the president of the American Soybean Association—representing 500,000 soybean farmers across the country—he is deeply concerned about how tariffs will impact him and his colleagues. "Like many of my fellow farmers, I voted for President Donald Trump in the past three elections. The president won me over with his commitment to business-friendly tax cuts as well as his track record of reducing regulation and cutting government spending. I am one of the 500,000 soybean farmers in America who feels the pain. I rely on my own farm for 100 percent of the income for my family and the families of our three full-time workers. We have 1,500 acres of soybeans on my farm. At $600 an acre, our production costs are $900,000. But in the current climate, an acre brings in only $500 of revenue, which means we’re yielding $750,000—a $150,000 loss. This year we’re hoping to hang on with a loan to cover the difference. But not every farmer is so lucky. I’ve watched my fellow farmers, who were already having difficulties, forced to have auctions and sell their farms. Some have had to declare bankruptcy and take whatever work they can get as farmhands." (source: https://www.thefp.com/p/im-a-soybean-farmer-who-voted-for) 04.09.25
Here’s the view of someone outside the US.
Kimmel’s remarks weren’t offensive. He offered sympathy to Kirk’s wife and admiration at her ability to forgive his killer.
His remarks were aimed at Trump. He made fun of Trump’s insincere remorse about the murder which quickly pivoted to his pet project of the new White House ballroom.
Trump’s comments about revoking their broadcasting licence were a warning to Disney that their proposed merger may be blocked if they don’t comply, as well as to other broadcasters that could be subject to similar treatment. Big business knows it has to bow down to Trump if they want to continue making big bucks in America. He has various tools to target them such as arbitrary tariffs / executive orders and his minions to pursue his agenda in other places.
It’s truly Orwellian. I have no doubt Trump will seek re-election on the grounds that he hasn’t served two consecutive terms. He should have been barred from office after inciting insurrection on January 6th. The world would have been a safer place if the constitution had been upheld.
K anyone who is a Democrat at this point is obviously a braindead twit or they fervently support all of their evil: abortion, transgenderism, child mutilation, adoring illegal aliens at the expense of American citizens, etc. For a priest to do so should earn them suspension
B Benny - Indeed. Amen.
Oh bb, the English form of government is a bit of, how shall we say it in English, oh I know, a JOKE. The monarchy should be suppressed and thus enjoyed in the dump yard of history. Next model your form of government after your former colony, with the Bill of Rights. Our problem isn’t our form of government, but, first democrats and second, republicans. We independents are the only sane ones out there, especially we priest independents.
It’s often said that the UK is the mother of all parliaments (which is probably a bit of an exaggeration) but we were at the forefront of modern democracies.
We have a constitutional monarchy, a compromise whereby the monarch is a figurehead without any political power. In my youth I supported abolition and replacement with an elected president. Now I’m not so sure, a non-political presidential head has its advantages. For one thing if we had a PM like Trump who violated the constitution, you could bet the monarch would refuse to ratify the bill into law. I’m not sure your Supreme Court will prevent his moves to become US dictator in a few years time.
It denotes an attitude and a brutal policy of draconian control by propaganda, surveillance, disinformation, denial of truth (doublethink), and manipulation of the past, including the "unperson"—a person whose past existence is expunged from the public record and memory, practiced by modern repressive governments.
Any reporting you see suggesting that Trump is going to attempt to be a dictator in a few years has no basis in reality. But part of your critique is accurate insofar as our legislative branch has basically abdicated their constitutional duties, ceding their powers and responsibilities to the executive branch. This is a problem regardless which party holds the presidency: it is a problem now, and it was a problem with Biden -- it goes back to Woodrow Wilson, actually. But it is more pronounced now that our legislators are more keen to become social media influencers and TV talking heads rather than engage in lawmaking.
One notes that abortion, transgenderism, child mutilation, the adoration of illegal aliens all have nothing - NADA - to do with weakness of Trump's foreign policy missteps - really pratfalls - or the struggles of many American farmers who are being broadsided by the foolish and counterproductive tariffs Trump has imposed.
TJM needs to note that the individual I quoted above are all REPUBLICANS. The jig is up.
K finds a couple of RINOs and thinks that settles it. LOL. You are still supporting evil 24/7. Joe Manchin and Senator Fetterman think the Dems are nuts. Enjoy Hades!
Any reporting you see suggesting that Trump is going to attempt to be a dictator in a few years has no basis in reality.
It’s a slippery slope where once have you fallen so far you can’t get back up. Trump enjoys power too much to give it up voluntarily. We’ll have to see what the future holds but America can lost much of its former glory.
Speaking of Johnny Carson...once upon a time, we had the following:
=======
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHOgD-RZ_vk
Begin at the 1:20 mark.
=======
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3LG3Eg5T-A
Begin at the 1:50 mark.
=======
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efHVcgUajtA
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Father McDonald:
Before commenting further I have to ask a threshold question: Where did you hear the conspiracy theory you recount in your main post? I feel sure you did not come up with that Machiavellian explanation all by yourself. But if you did, that would be helpful to know too.
Thanks,
Mark J.
P.S. I do agree with you about Johnny Carson. I always enjoyed watching him.
It’s MacDonaldiam and Machiavellian combined!
I don't think you're concerns have any foundation in reality. While I can understand how you might get that impression from afar, I can assure you that things here in America aren't quite so far gone as they might appear from media accounts.
One notes that abortion, transgenderism, child mutilation, the adoration of illegal aliens all have nothing - NADA - to do with weakness of Trump's foreign policy missteps - really pratfalls - or the struggles of many American farmers who are being broadsided by the foolish and counterproductive tariffs Trump has imposed.
The people I quoted aren't RINOs.
Iowa Capitol Dispatch: "Sen. Joni Ernst rallies Pennsylvanians for Trump in lead-up to Nov." (October 25, 2024)
Sen. Thom Tillis: “As we begin this new chapter, there is much to be excited about for America’s future. President Donald J. Trump has laid out an ambitious agenda to restore prosperity, security, and opportunity for every American. I’m eager to work alongside him to advance his agenda, including securing our borders, revitalizing our economy, and supporting North Carolina’s recovery. President Trump’s commitment to confirming constitutionalist judges, rebuilding our military to confront global threats, and creating jobs through tax cuts and deregulation will have a lasting positive impact on our state and country. I’m proud to support President Trump’s vision for a safer, more prosperous America and look forward to helping make it a reality.”
Roger Wicker: "Trump endorses Roger Wicker for Senate reelection"
Well, yes, I know you are Italian, but . . . I just did a search using the search term “conspiracy theory that Jimmy Kimmel suspension was a Disney publicity stunt.” AI provides the following answer:
It is a widely circulated conspiracy theory that Disney's temporary suspension of Jimmy Kimmel in September 2025 was a pre-planned publicity stunt. While Disney publicly attributed the suspension to Kimmel's controversial remarks following the assassination of Charlie Kirk and subsequent pressure from broadcast affiliates and the Trump administration, critics and investors have questioned the decision and motive.
Evidence cited by proponents of the conspiracy theory
• Financial gain and ratings boost: Proponents argue that Disney orchestrated the suspension to generate massive publicity and ratings. Kimmel's return episode was his highest-rated in over a decade, attracting 6.2 million viewers despite not airing in some markets. The subsequent public interest and controversy created significant media attention that money can't buy.
• The "Streisand Effect": Some believe the incident is a textbook example of the Streisand Effect, where an attempt to censor or hide something draws more attention to it. The temporary ban of a popular host under political pressure became a national debate on free speech, positioning Kimmel as a victim of censorship.
• Inconsistent corporate behavior: Critics point out that Disney's handling of the situation appeared inconsistent. While the company seemed to cave to pressure by suspending Kimmel, it reinstated him just days later after public outcry and union support grew. This quick reversal led to questions about Disney's underlying motivation.
• Political messaging: The controversy also allowed both Disney and Kimmel to take a public stand on free speech against government intimidation, a topic that plays well to a large segment of their audience. Kimmel's return monologue condemned the government pressure as "anti-American," reinforcing a brand image of resistance for viewers.
• Convenient distraction: The timing of the controversy, amid a tense political climate and the assassination of a conservative activist, is cited by some as a strategic distraction. It allowed Disney to engage with the culture wars in a way that ultimately positioned the company and its talent as defenders of free expression.
AI then rehearses the counterarguments to the publicity stunt theory as follows:
• Significant financial risk: The theory ignores the immediate financial losses and reputational damage Disney faced. The company's stock price dropped by billions of dollars during the controversy, and shareholders have since demanded internal documents to investigate potential wrongdoing by executives.
• Serious affiliate and government pressure: The suspension occurred amid direct threats of punitive action from FCC Chairman Brendan Carr and an immediate blackout of Kimmel's show by major broadcast groups like Nexstar and Sinclair. This pressure was widely documented and appeared to be a genuine threat to Disney's business interests.
• Internal division and talent backlash: According to reports, the decision to suspend Kimmel was met with surprise and shock, even by his own staff. The move also sparked internal criticism, with Hollywood talent and labor unions protesting Disney's perceived capitulation to political pressure. These are not typical outcomes of a planned promotional campaign.
• Executive decision-making under duress: Experts and some executives, including former Disney CEO Michael Eisner, characterized the suspension as an "impulsive" and ill-advised decision made under intense political and corporate duress, not a carefully planned publicity stunt.
Mark J.
Another dimension of this Orwellian culture that we live in…
https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/amp/news/266765/vatican-struggles-against-spread-of-deepfake-images-of-pope-leo-xiv
The far right are using AI to spread misinformation to undermine public confidence in government and societal institutions in order to
…undermine democracy and boost populism.
Update: None of the sources cited by AI mentioned such a conspiracy theory, however. But my continued research unearthed the following Facebook post by one Jonathan Gregory:
https://www.facebook.com/reel717255174660758
Addressing another matter, Snopes explains that Gregory is a “stand-up comedian . . . whose bio describes him as a comedian and states, apparently in jest, that he is a 'Digital Content Creator for the Trump Administration.'"
Snopes explains further that:
“Though the post mimicked the tone and format of breaking news reporting and included a @newsmax tag, Gregory has no affiliation with Newsmax, a right-leaning news and opinion website. Gregory frequently tags Newsmax in his posts, as we noted in a previous fact check of Gregory's content in May 2025, to give a false impression of authenticity. However, Gregory's posts are fictional takes on current events.”
See https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/la-protestors-california-democrats-bricks/
So, who exactly is playing whom here?
Mark J.
I don't think you're concerns have any foundation in reality. While I can understand how you might get that impression from afar, I can assure you that things here in America aren't quite so far gone as they might appear from media accounts.
Don’t you believe it!
You may not be able to access the Facebook link I supplied. I just tried it and the following message was displayed:
“This content isn't available right now
When this happens, it's usually because the owner only shared it with a small group of people, changed who can see it or it's been deleted.”
However, I did find it again by redoing the search “conspiracy theory that Jimmy Kimmel suspension was a Disney publicity stunt” using Microsoft Edge and found the link still “live.” So perhaps, if you are really interested (unlikely probably), you could try to do the same. Anyway, the basic contention is that an ABC whistleblower revealed that Disney staged it all as a publicity stunt.
But, as stated in my previous comment, Snopes noted, regarding another Facebook post by Gregory, that “Gregory's posts are fictional takes on current events.”
FWIIW, my own conspiracy theory is that Father McDonald might be playing US with this particular post. -:)
Mark J.
Should I believe everything the media says is going horribly, terrifically, tragically wrong in England? I've been reliably informed that London will be subject to Sharia law any day now...
Don't believe everything you read, especially if it always tends to prove your priors.
Meanwhile, James Comey is indicted. Why I am not sure. For allegedly lying to Congress (Ted Cruz?)? Or was it because he refused to pledge loyalty to the Great Leader in 2017, upon which he was fired, upon which Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller to investigate Russian meddling in the election (clearly found) and possible conspiracy/coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia (not clearly found, although “collusion” in the layman’s sense was found)?
I am not sure we have seen such misuse of the government for political retribution since the early twentieth century. Apparently, Trump fired the prosecutor who refused to indict Comey because the case just wasn’t there and put in one of his lackeys, who did indict Comey. And now we are told the Justice Department is in uproar over the indictment.
The irony is, of course, that Trump should not be indicting Comey but should be thanking him for his election in 2016, not just because Comey very publicly reopened the Clinton email investigation just before the election but also because he never revealed before the election that the Justice Department was also investigating the Trump campaign for its possible ties to Russia. But, as we have been speaking of Orwell, all that has presumably disappeared down the memory hole.
And to recur to the question I often ask: Imagine if Obama or Biden had misused the government, especially the Justice Department, in such a manner. The MAGA Republicans would be apoplectic. Double standards indeed.
Why does this matter to Catholics? Virtue, honesty, integrity, that’s why.
Or perhaps it’s all a publicity stunt to help Comey sell a new book.
Cue TJM.
Mark J.
https://www.ft.com/content/a2840f43-cbd3-4c3e-89fc-36f25a7da97b
Freedom is the freedom to say two plus two equals four, said George Orwell. By that standard, the US is hurtling towards unfreedom. Those who point out that the late Charlie Kirk was a Christian nationalist provocateur risk their jobs or worse. The official line is that the appalling murder of Kirk made him a martyr to God and American liberty. Dissenters to such hyperbole risk being branded as terrorists. In the post-Kirk world, two plus two equals five.
Orwell is erroneously quoted as having said that at a time of universal deceit, truth-telling is a revolutionary act. Here is the truth about Kirk. He believed that the US Civil Rights Act was a mistake, that leading African-American women, including Michelle Obama, lacked “brain processing power”, that Joe Biden should be jailed or even killed for his presidential sins and that the US should have public executions. Readers can guess for themselves what Kirk thought of women’s place in society.
Big Benny,
I am not as sanguine as Marc about the general state of the nation here. I do agree with him that face-to-face conversations among everyday Americans are likely substantially better than social media conversations among those who do not know one another. But this is only one metric of the state of the nation. Focusing on the antics of Trump and his minions, I am inclined to say that the state of the nation is doubleplusungood.
By the way, you have linked to articles in the Financial Times at least a couple of times now. I suspect that very few, if any, readers of this blog will be able to access those stories as they are behind a paywall and readers are quite unlikely to subscribe to the FT (as indeed I do not). Therefore, it would be very helpful if you could link to an alternative, more generally accessible source instead or as well, or perhaps copy and paste a relevant extract from the FT.
Thanks,
Mark J.
Mark J,
One of your leftist, globalist heroes got arrested!
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/09/soros-linked-howard-rubin-arrested-sex-trafficking-former/
Comey is a sleazeball. The charges against him are far more substantive than the bogus charges thrown against the wall at Trump. It is scary that you were a law professor based on your rantings here!
Lol:
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/09/revealed-person-1-james-comeys-indictment-is-hillary/
“Liberals” notion of Free Speech!
https://gatewayhispanic.com/video/university-cincinnati-has-removed-tpusa-chapter-campus-suddenly/
Apologies the FT link works within the Uk but you can probably google it by searching the title:
America’s accelerating exit from itself
By Edward Luce
TJM:
I know nothing about Jeffrey Rubin—never heard of him. If the allegations are true, then he deserves to have the book thrown at him. But your attempt to distract from the Epstein files has not gone unnoticed. Nice try but no cigar.
“The charges against him are far more substantive than the bogus charges thrown against the wall at Trump.”
I regard this statement as total BS as it refers to Trump. If he had lost the election, I suspect he would be in prison by now or relatively soon—and deservedly so. But he is a master at playing every advantage the legal system gives him, while denying legal rights to others, such as noncriminal undocumented immigrants. But I have faith that the arc of the universe bends toward justice and he WILL be held to account. If you disagree, please provide evidence that the charges were bogus, not just bald unsupported assertions.
“It is scary that you were a law professor based on your rantings here!”
You just can’t refrain from ad hominem attacks, can you? Of course, such attacks just demonstrate the flimsiness of your arguments. I do not rant. I leave the ranting to you.
Mark J.
TJM:
I know nothing about Jeffrey Rubin—never heard of him. If the allegations are true, then he deserves to have the book thrown at him. But your attempt to distract from the Epstein files has not gone unnoticed. Nice try but no cigar.
“The charges against him are far more substantive than the bogus charges thrown against the wall at Trump.”
I regard this statement as total BS as it refers to Trump. If he had lost the election, I suspect he would be in prison by now or relatively soon—and deservedly so. But he is a master at playing every advantage the legal system gives him, while denying legal rights to others, such as noncriminal undocumented immigrants. But I have faith that the arc of the universe bends toward justice and he WILL be held to account. If you disagree, please provide evidence that the charges were bogus, not just bald unsupported assertions.
“It is scary that you were a law professor based on your rantings here!”
You just can’t refrain from ad hominem attacks, can you? Of course, such attacks just demonstrate the flimsiness of your arguments. I do not rant. I leave the ranting to you.
Mark J.
As a criminal defense lawyer — and one who has represented someone on a federal charge involving mishandling classified documents (one of the charged against Trump and involving some of the same prosecutors — it is plain to me that Trump would’ve been convicted of that. And Biden would have too.
I haven’t read much about Comey, but the prosecution seems politically motivated. We shall see what the evidence looks like.
But I have faith that the arc of the universe bends toward justice and he WILL be held to account.
Nice MLK quote also used by Obama!
———
The Magna Carta is a historic English charter, meaning "Great Charter," that was agreed to by King John at Runnymede in 1215. It established the principle that the king and government are not above the law, laying the foundation for individual freedom, parliamentary democracy, and the supremacy of the law.
It seems to me that your principle that the President holds legal immunity while in office makes him above the law and contradicts basic constitutional principles. Trump seems able to do whatever he wants with impunity and avoiding any legal consequences.
I guess Trump’s shutting down of government qualifies as a publicity stunt too!
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