RFK Jr slams late-night comedy ‘collapse,’ says Kimmel replaced laughs with political preaching
WASHINGTON, DC: Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr has weighed in on the ongoing debate over late-night television, amplifying a viral social media post that criticized what it described as a shift away from traditional comedy toward political commentary.
Kennedy shared and endorsed the post on X, which targeted Jimmy Kimmel and other late-night hosts, arguing that comedy has been overtaken by ideological messaging in recent years.
RFK Jr backs viral critique of late-night television comedy
Robert F Kennedy Jr praised a widely circulated X thread that took aim at what it called the “shocking collapse of liberal comedy.” The post argued that late-night television has increasingly prioritized political commentary over humor.
“Superb dissection of the shocking collapse of liberal comedy,” Kennedy wrote. “This is the best explanation of how we’ve reached the nadir where Late Night host Jimmy Kimmel can say ‘It’s not my job to be funny.’ As this author shows, he was hired as a comedian but he made himself a priest."
The post, which Kennedy amplified, framed Jimmy Kimmel as an example of how late-night hosts have evolved from entertainers into political commentators.
Superb dissection of the shocking collapse of liberal comedy. This is the best explanation of how we've reached the nader where Late Night host Jimmy Kimmel can say “It’s not my job to be funny.” As this author shows, he was hired as a comedian but he made himself a priest. https://t.co/tWEpVPA0zQ
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) May 24, 2026
Satirical X thread questions shift in comedy tone
The viral commentary was written by Peter Girnus and presented from the perspective of a fictional television executive. It argued that modern late-night shows have moved away from character-driven comedy toward more direct, personal commentary.
“We killed the character and put the real man on stage. The real man was a lecturer. Earnest. Thoughtful. Correct about everything,” Girnus wrote, adding that “Correct is not funny.”
He further argued that contemporary comedy environments discourage unpredictability and reward ideological alignment, claiming that “Liberal comedy has become an excommunication system working as designed."
Superb dissection of the shocking collapse of liberal comedy. This is the best explanation of how we've reached the nader where Late Night host Jimmy Kimmel can say “It’s not my job to be funny.” As this author shows, he was hired as a comedian but he made himself a priest. https://t.co/tWEpVPA0zQ
— Robert F. Kennedy Jr (@RobertKennedyJr) May 24, 2026
Jimmy Kimmel defends political tone of late-night shows
Jimmy Kimmel has previously addressed criticism of his show’s political content during an appearance on the podcast 'IMO' with Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson.
“Don’t tell me what my job is,” Kimmel said. “My job is whatever I decide my job is or whatever my employer allows me to do.”
He added that while his program includes political commentary, audience laughter remains central to his work, saying, “I love when the audience laughs. There’s nothing that’s more exciting to me than that.”
Debate over late-night comedy intensifies amid industry changes
The broader debate over late-night television comes as CBS prepares to conclude 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' in May 2026. Network officials have said the decision is driven by financial considerations and is not related to content or performance.
The development has added fresh attention to how late-night formats are evolving, with growing disagreement over whether comedy shows should prioritize humor, commentary, or a blend of both.
