Jimmy Kimmel Issues Apology For Using Blackface During ‘Embarrassing’ Impressions

Jimmy Kimmel is amongst the most successful hosts in the West. While Ellen DeGeneres, Jimmy Fallon give him a tough competition, there’s a reason why he will be seen hosting the Oscars 2021. And well, this isn’t the first time he’s doing it. Albeit, Jimmy is currently under the radar of critics. It has to do with him impersonating black celebrities in the past.

Jimmy has previously done impressions of many black celebrities. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! Host once used blackface to impersonate former NBA star, Karl Malone. Amid the Black Lives Matter protests, his old videos are going viral. His impression of Oprah Winfrey, Snoop Dogg, and other black celebs have been receiving criticism too.

Owing to it all, Kimmel has now issued a public apology. In a long-detailed note, the host has called his actions ‘embarrassing.’ Furthermore, he has mentioned how he’s evolved over the years. It’s something that his loyal viewers would definitely know.

Jimmy Kimmel began his note as, “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. There is nothing more important to me than your respect, and I apologize to those who were genuinely hurt or offended by the makeup I wore or the words I spoke.”

He further addressed his impression of Karl Malone. However, Jimmy mentioned how he never thought of him as a black man, but just a fellow being. He just had the intention to look-like, from head to toe.

Jimmy Kimmel added, “On KROQ radio in the mid-90s, I did a recurring impression of the NBA player Karl Malone. In the late 90s, I continued impersonating Malone on TV. We hired makeup artists to make me look as much like Karl Malone as possible. I never considered that this might be seen as anything other than an imitation of a fellow human being, one that had no more to do with Karl’s skin color than it did his bulging muscles and bald head.”

Kimmel concluded his note by mentioning how he has been taking a break. He’s spending time with his family and does not have plans to get back to work until September this year.

Check out Jimmy Kimmel’s public apology below:

Statement from @jimmykimmel pic.twitter.com/8eBDG5Kcm8

— Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) June 23, 2020

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