Jimmy Kimmel apologizes on behalf of America in Channel 4 alternative Christmas message

Speaking ostensibly to the British public, Kimmel discussed the crumbling democratic institutions in the United States.

Jimmy Kimmel apologizes on behalf of America in Channel 4 alternative Christmas message

Since 1993, Channel 4 in the United Kingdom has aired an “alternative Christmas message” to run counter to the monarch’s. Last night, Jimmy Kimmel became the fourth American (after Jesse Jackson, Marge Simpson, and Edward Snowden) to deliver the message. In the roughly four-minute speech, Kimmel declared 2025 “a really great year” for fascism while also taking a bit of a victory lap after his show returned to the air a couple of months ago. “A Christmas miracle happened. Well, it was September, it was a September miracle,” joked the late night host. “But the holiday does seem to come earlier and earlier every year, doesn’t it?” 

The main thrust of Kimmel’s message to the British public was a warning about how quickly a nominally democratic country can descend into authoritarianism. “…Maybe you’re thinking: ‘Oh a government silencing its critics is something that happens in places like Russia, or North Korea, or LA, not the UK’. Well, that’s what we thought and now we’ve got King Donny the Eighth calling for executions. It happens fast.” However, Kimmel was hearted by all of the people he saw speak out when his show was taken off the air and all of the people who took to the streets during the year’s No Kings protests. 

Kimmel also apologized to the Brits on behalf of (some) Americans, saying that “we are a right mess.” “Here in the United States right now we are both figuratively and literally tearing down the structures of our democracy,” said Kimmel. “And we know this is also affecting you, and I just wanted to say sorry. And we want you to know or, at least I want you to know, that we’re not all like him. We’re not all like that.” You can check out the whole message below.

 
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