Is Jimmy Kimmel preparing to leave the United States amid Donald Trump’s presidency? Perhaps not given his work commitment to ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” but he’s certainly giving himself an exit plan if needed by obtaining Italian citizenship this year. Celebrities such as Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres fled the U.S. last fall after Trump defeated Kamala Harris in the presidential election. Kimmel confirmed on “The Sarah Silverman Podcast” (via The Daily Beast) that a door is open for him to follow suit.
“A lot of people I know are thinking about, where are they going to get citizenship?” Silverman said about the reaction to Trump.
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“I did get Italian citizenship,” Kimmel replied. “What’s going on [with Trump] is as bad as you thought it was gonna be. It’s so much worse; it’s just unbelievable. I feel like it’s probably even worse than he would like it to be.”
Kimmel regularly bashes Trump during his late-night monologues, so much so that Trump has boasted that “Jimmy Kimmel Live” will be the next late night show canceled after CBS gave the ax to Stephen Colbert and “The Late Show.” Kimmel responded to Trump with this comment: “I’m hearing you’re next. Or maybe it’s just another wonderful secret.” The phrase “wonderful secret” is a reference to a Wall Street Journal story, published July 17, that claimed Trump sent a letter to Jeffrey Epstein in 2003 that was included in a birthday album of well-wishes.
O’Donnell, who also bashes Trump on a consistent basis, moved to Ireland in the wake of Trump’s victory. When recently asked by Variety if she had plans to return to the states, she answered: “With the current political climate, when would it be safe to come back with my child? I’m not going to push it before this administration is completely finished, and hopefully held accountable for their crimes.”
As for Kimmel, he explained to Silverman during the podcast interview that he does not hold any grudges against those who voted for Trump if they decide to change their minds and join the opposition.
“Now you see these clips of Joe Rogan saying, ‘Why is he doing this? Why are you deporting people?’ And people go, ‘Fuck you! You supported him.’ I don’t buy into that,” Kimmel said. “The door has to stay open. If you want to change your mind, that’s so hard to do. If you want to admit you were wrong, that is so hard and so rare to do. You are welcome [to do so].”
Listen to Kimmel’s full interview on the “The Sarah Silverman Podcast” podcast here.
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