Last week’s column was a bummer to write. I’m not used to writing about sad events in our country.
This past week didn’t get much better after politics played a role in getting Jimmy Kimmel’s show canned for a while. I believe the term is “indefinitely.” In TV speak, indefinitely may mean he’s never getting his show back.
Since we live in a divided country, the consensus is also pretty divided. It doesn’t surprise me.
The Kimmel haters are glad he’s gone, and of course, Steven Colbert is on his way out, so the bulls-eye is on Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers.
For as long as I can remember, presidents of the United States have been the subjects of many jokes on late-night TV.
I can remember Johnny Carson throwing jabs at President Ronald Reagan back in the day. I don’t recall anyone asking for his head.
Freedom of speech is, by definition, the right of individuals to express their opinions, ideas, beliefs and information without government censorship, restraint or punishment.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution protects the right of freedom of speech where it prohibits the government from making laws that abridge freedom of speech or the press.
Freedom of speech usually protects: speaking, writing or publishing opinions, such as mine, for example.
It also allows us to assemble for peaceful protesting and demonstrations.
You are able to express your artistic and creative expressions.
It gives you the right to make a political speech and criticize the government.
With that said, it is not absolute; if you incite violence or crimes, defame others falsely, threaten national security, spread obscenity, etc., then there’s a problem.
When you start to chip away at U.S. Constitutional Amendments, then we have a threat to our democracy.
I think it’s pretty clear that President Trump has declared war against late-night talk show hosts. He is either a great prognosticator or he knew something we all didn’t know, but after Colbert was given his notice, he was elated, stating Kimmel was next.
I don’t know about you, but this is all unsettling to me. I think this is a bigger picture than a sitting president feeling upset about what talk show hosts are saying about him.
We are lucky we live in a country where we can express ourselves — well, until now. In other countries, if you speak up against a leader or the government, there’s a good chance you may never see that person again. Is this what we want for America?
Can you imagine Crosby, Stills, and Nash getting censored or silenced over a song protesting the government, a president, and an unfavorable war like Vietnam?
One of President Trump’s platforms heading into the last election was freedom of speech. He said it over and over again, city after city.
Freedom of speech works both ways. It is not okay for the leader of the greatest country in the world to do and say what he pleases and then censor others.
Trump has issues with those who do not like him and/or are highly critical of him. Hey, if you’re going to be top dog, you have to be prepared to take whatever comes your way. If you are going to dish it out, then you have to take it.
So for me, this isn’t about what Kimmel said on the air, it’s more about taking away our First Amendment.
No wonder this country is divided.
I don’t want to live in a totalitarian state, and it appears we are heading that way. That is not good, my friends.
Many people have left their country to live in the U.S.A. to gain independent freedom, flee totalitarianism or seek financial freedom.
It’s really baffling, and I shake my head constantly at our country’s state of affairs. I really don’t know how my parents and grandparents could handle this if they were alive today. This is not the world they grew up in and lived in.
I don’t want TV hosts to be canned for expressing themselves. We have a history of TV hosts who are comedians. That’s what they do, other than telling a joke, they satirize, they poke, they prod and they raise eyebrows.
When I think of freedom of speech, I think of my great friend Kitty Bruce’s dad, Lenny. Lenny was a pioneer in fighting for the right to express himself or herself. He was jailed frequently for speaking his mind or expressing himself freely.
When you talk about the top three comedians ever, George Carlin, Richard Pryor and Lenny Bruce are often named. Lenny came down the pike first and cleared the way for people like Carlin and Pryor.
Many modern-day comedians looked up to those guys, and if it wasn’t for them, there’s a good chance they would never have had a career.
Lenny sacrificed a lot for his art, his craft, the Constitution and his right to free speech.
I wonder what he would think or say about today’s political climate or what’s been happening to stifling talk show hosts? I don’t think he’d be too happy.
Well, I guess I went off on a tangent. Maybe next week I can write about rainbows.
Quote of the week
“It is by the goodness of God that in our country we have those three unspeakably precious things: freedom of speech, freedom of conscience, and the prudence never to practice either of them.” —Mark Twain
Thought of the week
“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” —Voltaire
Bumper sticker
“Satire is tragedy plus time.” —Lenny Bruce
