Family Betrayal Over Political Allegiances
Molly McNearney, the wife of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, has revealed the profound personal cost of political divisions within her own family, confessing she feels constantly angry and betrayed by relatives who voted for Donald Trump. The television writer explained that the fallout from her husband's show being temporarily pulled from air in September tore apart several close relationships.
The Catalyst: A Show's Temporary Cancellation
The conflict intensified when Jimmy Kimmel Live! was yanked from broadcast in September after the comedian criticised what he called 'the MAGA gang' for their portrayal of a suspect in an assassination attempt linked to Charlie Kirk. The programme was reinstated just a few days later, but the damage to family dynamics had already been done.
During an emotional appearance on Thursday's episode of the 'We Can Do Hard Things' podcast, McNearney laid bare her feelings. 'It hurts me so much because of the personal relationship I now have, where my husband is out there fighting this man,' she stated. 'And I unfortunately have kind of lost relationships with people in my family because of it.'
She described living in a state of perpetual conflict, admitting she now personalises every negative political story. 'When I see these terrible stories every day, I'm immediately mad at certain aunts, uncles, cousins, who put him in power,' McNearney revealed. 'To me, them voting for Trump is them not voting for my husband and me and our family.'
A Personal Journey from Republican Roots
McNearney reflected on her own political evolution, having been raised in St. Louis where she typically voted Republican down the ballot. She explained that moving away and encountering diverse perspectives changed her worldview. 'It's really hard for me because I grew up believing in these Christian ideals of taking care of the sick and taking care of the poor, and I don't see that happening with this Republican Party,' she explained.
Despite the strain, she expressed some sympathy for her conservative family members, suggesting they are being deliberately misinformed every day. In the weeks leading up to the 2024 election, McNearney made desperate attempts to communicate with her relatives, sending emails begging them not to vote for Trump and listing her reasons.
'I either got ignored by 90 percent of them or got truly insane responses from a few,' she recalled, noting the exchanges had definitely caused a strain.
For McNearney, the division is no longer about party politics but fundamental values. 'You know, part of me goes, "Don't let politics get in the way," but to me, this isn't politics,' she asserted. 'It's truly values. And we just were not aligned anymore.'
While mourning the loss of some relationships, she has found solace in strengthening bonds with family members who share her outlook. Meanwhile, Donald Trump responded to the show's reinstatement with a furious Truth Social rant, calling Kimmel not funny and threatening legal action against ABC.
