ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel on Thursday announced he will be taking the summer off after facing criticism over wearing blackface in a recurring skit he performed while working on “The Man Show” on Comedy Central.

Kimmel, as a co-host of the “The Man Show,” performed a recurring skit that included him dressed in blackface as then-NBA star Karl Malone. Videos and photos of the skits on the show, which ran from 1999-2004, have been circulating online recently with calls for Kimmel to apologize.

 

“I’m taking this summer off to spend even more time with my family,” Kimmel said on Thursday night from his home studio. “There’s nothing wrong. I’m healthy, my family’s healthy, I just need a couple of months off.”

“While I’m gone, a cavalcade of very kind and capable people will be filling in for me,” the 52-year-old added.

The announcement from Kimmel comes after rival “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon recently apologized for a blackface skit he did on “Saturday Night Live” in 2000.

“In 2000, while on SNL, I made a terrible decision to do an impersonation of Chris Rock while in blackface,” Fallon said on Twitter in late May following the police killing of African American George Floyd in Minneapolis. “There is no excuse for this. I am very sorry for making this unquestionably offensive decision and thank all of you for holding me accountable.”

Kimmel began as host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” 18 years ago and has taped 3,130 episodes over that stretch.

The guest-hosted episodes will begin after Independence Day weekend on July 6.

Kimmel is slated to host the Emmy Awards on ABC on Sept. 20.

He last took a leave of absence in 2017 when his infant son was born with a congenital disease that impacts the heart and underwent several surgeries as a result. The host reported on the show in September 2019 that his son “is doing great.”

Past guest hosts for Kimmel have included former 2020 Democratic presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg, along with actors Matt Damon, Will Arnett, Kristen Bell, Jennifer Lawrence, Chris Pratt and Tracee Ellis Ross.

47 thoughts on “Jimmy Kimmel Announces Summer Leave Amid Blackface Controversy”
    1. Makes me laugh how he thought he was special and beyond any attack like he did against trump . See how he handles it now that the table is turned and they turned on him . Now he knows how president trump feels when dumb ass’s like him try to make trump look stupid . Now you see how stupid Jimmy is and how he fell from grace cause he hurt their little feelings . Just another dumb ass Hollywood loser left to cry on his own after the rest turned their backs on him for not following their game plan . It’s the delusional democrats way. Your next !!!

      1. I totally agree with you. This whole thing about black face everybody gets dressed up for Halloween and they pick a face and they have fun dressing up it’s no big freaking deal these people cry over everything. There’s many people in this world that I’ve been oppressed not only black people give it a rest give your own selves a name by however you perceive yourself

      2. Jimmy Kimmell is a piece of crap. He is not funny, in fact all the night, so called comedians are crap. Hope he never comes back.

    2. Are you serious, I’m sorry are you fucking serious this man did this skit years ago and you want him to apologize for it give me a break this BLM crap is going too far I mean seriously

      1. Never heard of him he must be a liberal boy with a fetish for black NBA players. I remember Karl Malone as a good player, why not pick on Kobe wasn’t he a rapist or something.

      2. Black lives do not matter. Gang bangers wholeheartedly agree with that premise as can be seen daily and especially at weekends in Chicago, when they kill one another with abandon on the west and south side, including babies and toddlers in drive-by shootings, so left-wing zealots, stop spouting fairytales

      3. Although I disagree with this over the top BLM scenario, for Kimmel It’s a deserved Karma. Satire dues not work anymore with the PC Police.

        1. It’s called COMEDY , when Eddie Murphy did White Face did we complain, it was funny ,, get a sense of Humor,

          1. That is because most people are not racially motivated and do not have a problem with comedy and people using make-up for a role. The only people who seem to have problems are those on the “Left” who are always looking for something to complain about.

      4. AGREE WHEN I THOUGHT THIS WAS ABOUT RACISM NOW ITS BEEN TWISTED TO BLM WE KNOW SO ITS TIME TO STOP THE PROTESTING AND GET BACK TO WORK OR CLEANING UP THE MESS YOU HAVE CAUSED IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOODS,ALL OF THIS AND TRUST IN CHRIST TO SEE YOU THROUGH.

      1. Statesman I agree with you 100% …Could not happen to a bigger “Slimeball “ What goes around comes around !!! Maybe with all the guest hosts .. they might find a permanent replacement??

        1. They’ll each have to be vetted before approval to host the show. I’m sure each one is guilty of tiny infraction.

        2. HATRED DOES NO BODY ANY GOOD THIS WAS ABOUT RACISM NOT BLM ALL PEOPLE ARE BORN FROM GOD’S IMAGE.

  1. This has gone way to far, are the black people not proud of their color? Do they need to find fault with everything thing that shows their color? I would think the black community would be proud that an entertainer thinks enough of them that they are honoring them in their skits. How else would you know who the person is about in the skits. The white race needs a way to show who it is that they are impersonating and that is with color. Be proud !!!

    1. I hope they never bring him back! It’s ok for him to to ridicule and belittle people so lets see how he deals with this!
      Kimmel is a POS!

    2. ITS FLAT OUT RACISM NOT BLM AND ALL OF THE PROTESTING DOES ANYTHING TO GO BACK 400 YRS YOU HAVE BEEN HEARD NOW ITS TIME TO SHOW ALL OF US THAT YOU DO MATTER CLEAN UP YOUR MESSES AND GET BACK INTO A WAY OF LIFE THAT REALLY MATTERS THE CHSNGES WILL COME AND JESUS CHRIST IS THE SAVIOR OF US ALL.

  2. Is everyone fine with a “”little” time of for Jimmy? Any conservative would have been fired, but not previous Jimmy, he just takes “paid” time off to be with his family. What a Crock.

  3. Jimmy Niggel who has to go Hideout for 3 months so he can come back & Suck Black C ock while On His KNEES like the F ucking F aggot Commie C ocksucker He Is.

    1. Fuck all of you white racist trump. Cockers suckerswhy don’t you go back to your caves in Europe.

  4. KIMMEL NEEDS TO BE FIRED/ HE IS UNFIT TO BE ON TV// HOW ABOUT GOVERNOR OF VIRGINIA (BLACKFACE) ? WHEN DO THEY GET RID OF HIM?

    1. Jimmy Kimmel needs to be fired. He is a hypocrite.

      Between MeToo and BLM, he is a two time loser!!!

      1. Remember, most “Progressives”, or those on “Left”, are hypocrites. They also follow the mantra “Do as I say, not as I do!”.

  5. It’s getting so bad , here in America we do not have a chance everything that is said and done everybody gets hurt feelings, what does it matter if there’s statues of people in the hundreds of years how does a person care about that , wow 😮. Just looking for something to accomplish what a bunch of dopes.

  6. All the late show hosts and Saturday night comics should be investigated back years and years…..and maybe even our congress members. What do people think change is about. It is about growth in ones attitudes and behaviors. This has done nothing but made this cause less than. First let the peaceful protesters get the changes people need in police reform. People are united in this realization and the need for change.

  7. Jimmy “The Hypocrite” Kimmel. The guy who used female sexuality and alcohol to promote his show. A real toilet treasure to say the least. For those in Rio Lindo a real P.O.S.

  8. Has nothing to do with “blackface” skit… he’s on house arrest with other top Hollyweirdos forpedophilia, sex trafficking, drinking Adrenachrome, Epsteins pedophile island for satanic rituals. WAKE UP people, you’ve been brainwashed your entire life by the MSM…do your own investigating.

    1. Claudia, you are so right…Satanism is alive and doing better than we think, he started all of the Coronavirus and clashes with blacks. Now, like it or not, GUILTY or not of being racists and bigots, the Demon has arranged to blame EVERY white person in America for this. TELLING YOU NOW, I’m white, I’m not a racist, or a bigot. I’m sick and tired of this unrest. NOT ALL WHITES THINK ALIKE, WE ARE NOT ALL BIGOTS, so enough with it already. Take a friggin break!!!

    2. Claudia, you are so right…Satanism is alive and doing better than we think, he started all of the Coronavirus and clashes with blacks. Now, like it or not, GUILTY or not of being racists and bigots, the Demon has arranged to blame EVERY white person in America for this. TELLING YOU NOW, I’m white, I’m not a racist, or a bigot. I’m sick and tired of this unrest. NOT ALL WHITES THINK ALIKE, WE ARE NOT ALL BIGOTS, so enough with it already. Take a friggin break!!!

  9. Talk about stupidity and fake racism. At least from the article, it was basically giving credit to “then-NBA star Karl Malone”. If one is going to play a role one gets into the correct make-up. If we come across a species that look like “Klingons” are we going to start complaining.

  10. Nothing Seems OK anymore. Black lives matter is way out of hand. All lives matter. Poor Jimmy Kimmel thinks he can make fun of everyone especially Trump and not get away with comments on him. What is he hiding. Serves him right.

    1. Where is the dirty one he did about Oprah Winfrey using a pacifier?
      It’s not that I want to see it again, it’s just that I want people to see how dirty and filthy he was doing that skit! What a filthy pig he is! I hope he never makes another show!!

  11. Where is the dirty one he did about Oprah Winfrey using a pacifier?
    It’s not that I want to see it again, it’s just that I want people to see how dirty and filthy he was doing that skit! What a filthy pig he is! I hope he never makes another show!!

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