A Contingency Plan: Jimmy Kimmel’s Italian Citizenship Amidst Political Turbulence
Veteran late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, 57, recently revealed a significant personal development: he has successfully obtained Italian citizenship. The disclosure came during the August 7 episode of “The Sarah Silverman Podcast,” where Kimmel was discussing the prospect of Donald Trump’s potential return to the presidency and the broader anxieties felt by many Americans.
During the candid conversation, podcast host Sarah Silverman probed Kimmel about the growing sentiment among her acquaintances regarding alternative citizenships. “A lot of people I know are thinking about where they can get citizenship,” Silverman remarked. Kimmel, known for his sharp wit and political commentary on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, then confirmed his move, stating, “I did get Italian citizenship. I do have that.” He further elaborated on his apprehension concerning a potential second Trump term, asserting, “As bad as you thought it was gonna be, it’s so much worse. It’s just unbelievable. I feel like it’s probably even worse than he would like it to be.” Silverman, for her part, expressed a hopeful sentiment that those who voted for Trump might eventually reconsider their choice, believing it could ultimately “bring people together,” to which Kimmel added the challenge of self-reflection: “If you want to change your mind, that’s so hard to do. If you want to admit you are wrong, that’s so hard and so rare to do.”
Escalating Feud with Donald Trump
Kimmel’s proactive step towards dual citizenship unfolds against a backdrop of an intensified and very public feud between the comedian and former President Trump. The rivalry escalated notably in July, following reports of Stephen Colbert’s pointed criticism concerning CBS’s substantial settlement with Donald Trump. While CBS, the parent network for Colbert’s “The Late Show,” denied any direct correlation between the host’s commentary and network programming decisions, issuing a statement that such moves were “purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night” and “not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” the public discourse around late-night television remained charged.
In a display of solidarity with his fellow late-night host, Kimmel took to Instagram shortly after the news, sharing a clip of Colbert—who notably took over “The Late Show” from legendary host David Letterman in 2015—with the caption, “Love you Stephen.” He didn’t shy away from directing his ire at the network, adding a scathing, “F— you and all your Sheldons CBS.” Simultaneously, on the very day of the cancellation-related news, Kimmel posted photos of himself and his family participating in an anti-Trump protest, subtly referencing a line from a cryptic letter allegedly penned by Trump to sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, as previously reported by The Wall Street Journal. The response from Donald Trump was swift and direct. Just days later, the former President leveraged his social media platform, Truth Social, to launch a counter-attack, declaring, “The word is, and it’s a strong word at that, Jimmy Kimmel is NEXT to go in the untalented Late Night Sweepstakes and, shortly thereafter, [Jimmy] Fallon will be gone.”
A Broader Trend Among Public Figures
Kimmel’s acquisition of Italian citizenship aligns with a broader trend among public figures contemplating or executing similar “contingency plans” in response to the volatile American political landscape. Notably, fellow entertainers Rosie O’Donnell and Ellen DeGeneres have reportedly relocated to Ireland and England, respectively, signaling a growing inclination among some celebrities to seek international options amidst domestic political turbulence.
