Oz Pearlman won’t be making his scheduled post-White House Correspondents’ Dinner stop at Jimmy Kimmel Live! after all.
Days after announcing that Pearlman—the mentalist booked as this year’s featured entertainer at Saturday’s White House Correspondents’ Association dinner—would appear on Monday night’s show, ABC has quietly swapped him out.
In an updated guest lineup released Monday afternoon, Kimmel’s show indicated that former Obama speechwriter Jon Lovett of Pod Save America will appear instead.
Pearlman had been scheduled to perform at Saturday’s dinner after organizers opted against hiring a comedian this year—a notable departure given that Donald Trump was set to attend the event for the first time as president.
But Pearlman never took the stage after an armed man breached a security checkpoint near the dinner while Trump, members of his cabinet, and other guests were inside. Video from inside the room showed Pearlman speaking with Trump on the dais when security rushed in and evacuated the president. No one was harmed, but the event was ultimately called off.
That alone may have complicated plans for Pearlman’s scheduled Kimmel appearance. In an Instagram post Sunday, he recalled performing for the president and first lady when the shots rang out, calling the incident “likely the scariest moment of my life.”
Then came Monday morning.
Melania Trump publicly criticized Kimmel over the host’s faux WHCD monologue from last Thursday’s show, accusing him of using “hateful and violent rhetoric” and urging ABC to “take a stand” against him.
That segment included multiple jokes aimed at Trump, Melania Trump, and other members of the first family.
Whether Pearlman’s cancellation was related to the weekend security incident, Monday’s political backlash, or something else entirely remains unclear.
Lovett will fill the slot instead—giving Monday night’s episode an even more overtly political bent than originally planned.
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Jimmy’s days are likely numbered. He has a responsibility as a BROADCASTER to reach a BROAD-based audience. Broadcasting is different than Cable, the Internet, or Satellite. Jimmy will go out in a blaze. BYE.
Why are we putting WAAAAAY higher standards on a talk show host more than the freakin President of the United States?!?!
BTW, here’s how I know this whole cancellation is rehashed, repetitive, and redundant: Kimmel’s show is posting episode updates like it’s a normal workday
The doomerism reeks in this comment and I look forward to Kimmel’s remarks tonight, uninterrupted
“Why are we putting WAAAAAY higher standards on a talk show host more than the freakin President of the United States?!?!”
That’s what I’ve been wondering for months.
The public is on Kimmel’s side, because your Dear Toddler Drumpf is a thin skinned bully that uses the office of the presidency to try and destroy people who give him a sad!
You filth all need to grow the fuck up!
I wonder how many people who were in the room when the shots were fired would find Kimmel’s “jokes” funny.
All you’re doing is showing us why MAGAts are thin skinned losers that never got past the fifth grade, emotionally! Grow up, boy!
Unlike Burger King, you cannot have it both ways. Trump, aka Convicted Felon X34, Insurrectious, Convicted Sexual Harasser, etc,etc,etc has publicly made ill remarks with people of disabilities, women, the late Rob Riner and his wife, downloaded his video of him in a plane dumping xxxx on marchers during the No Kings Day March just to name a few. His ENTIRE STAFF is the true webster definition of Incompetency along with the “first” lady. who is not “first” at anything. At this time, you {trump} should be in prison awaiting lunch. Grow up OLD Vengeful Man and applauds to anyone that feels the same that I do.