When Conan O’Brien signed off for the last time on NBC, ending a hilarious and all too short stint behind the desk of the “Tonight Show,” the beloved redheaded comedian gave one of the best late night monologues of all time.
“All I ask is one thing … and this is … I’m asking this particularly of young people that watch,” an almost tearful and suddenly serious O’Brien said. “Please do not be cynical. I hate cynicism. For the record, it’s my least favorite quality.”
Though forced out by network executives in a particularly nasty and unnecessarily public contract dispute, O’Brien was poised, graceful, and even magnanimous.
Apparently, Jimmy Kimmel missed it over at ABC.
That funny man turned flak does the exact opposite. He literally takes his material from the staff of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., weighing in on healthcare and gun control while taking shots at President Trump without apology. Because democracy has become tribal, because the proverbial town hall has become an omnipresent shouting match between citizens, Kimmel has decided to politicize comedy.
In an interview with Vulture, Kimmel lays out the cynicism that underscores his satire, why, in his words, “I love a cheap shot,” and whether or not Republicans will ever tune into his show again. It’s really an insightful interview and it’s really worth reading. But the 6,000-word piece can be whittled down to just two words: nothing matters.
“I think I’ve alienated more people than I’ve brought onboard,” Kimmel says. “But what I thought was important was telling the truth.” (Apparently, telling the truth means regurgitating talking points and spreading patently false information). And he doesn’t worry about getting those viewers back. “We’ve been divided into teams now as a country,” Kummel continued. “It reminds me of sports in a lot of ways. It’s like in New York, you’re either a Mets fan or a Yankees fan. It’s so rare that an issue comes up that everyone can agree on.”
Or in other words, pre-existing political division is just permission for non-stop cynicism. At least that’s Kimmel’s favorite quality.
