A fiery debate has erupted in the US media landscape after hosts on Fox News's daytime show 'Outnumbered' suggested ABC should fire comedian Jimmy Kimmel over a joke he made about the Jeffrey Epstein client list.
The controversy began after Kimmel, host of 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!', quipped on his programme that he would be disappointed if his name was not on the much-discussed list associated with the disgraced financier, sarcastically implying his popularity. Fox News hosts, including Kayleigh McEnany and Jeanine Pirro, seized on the comment, with Pirro vehemently stating, "He should be fired. I think ABC should fire him".
The segment, which did not air Kimmel's full joke in context, portrayed the comment as a flippant dismissal of the serious nature of the Epstein case. This interpretation prompted immediate backlash from viewers and media critics alike.
Never one to shy away from a fight, Jimmy Kimmel fired back with a scathing post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He directly targeted the Fox hosts, particularly McEnany, whom he accused of lying about the context of his joke to her audience.
"Sorry guys, I only have time to do the research for my own show", Kimmel wrote, taking a sharp dig at the panel's commentary. The very public spat underscores the deep divisions and the high-stakes, antagonistic relationship between conservative and liberal-leaning media outlets in America.
This incident is the latest in a long line of feuds between Kimmel and the conservative network, cementing his role as a persistent critic of Fox News and its on-air personalities.
