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Jimmy Kimmel APOLOGISES to everyone he “hurt or offended” with his blackface impressions amidst backlash
After receiving heavy criticism, Jimmy Kimmel makes an official apology for his prior blackface impressions. Scroll ahead to read his full statement on the sensitive topic.
Jimmy Kimmel has come under fire recently for his past sketches, specifically one in which he wore blackface and a bald cap to portray the former NBA star, Karl Malone. Post the backlash especially with the Black Lives Matter movement in full swing, the late-night talk show host has issued a delayed apology for his infamous Karl Malone impression, along with others - in which he used blackface and insensitive racial language. Jimmy labelled his past actions as "embarrassing" and "thoughtless moments."
Kimmel said in an interview to ET Online: "I have long been reluctant to address this, as I knew doing so would be celebrated as a victory by those who equate apologies with weakness and cheer for leaders who use prejudice to divide us. That delay was a mistake." The television star is now apologizing to those he hurt or offended by "the makeup I wore or the words I spoke."
Kimmel went on to explain that he began doing his Malone impression for LA's KROQ radio in the mid-90s, and it continued on TV on The Man Show. He said, "I never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being," and that he's done impressions of several celebs including Snoop Dogg and even Oprah.
The chat show host claims that in every case he only thought of the skits as impressions and nothing more. “Looking back, many of these sketches are embarrassing, and it is frustrating that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices," he added.
Kimmel also said that he has evolved as a person and matured over the course of the past 2 decades. He then concluded by saying that his current break from television had been planned months back and is completely unrelated to this controversy.
