Jimmy Kimmel, the beloved late-night television host, just got Italian citizenship. In fact, he lists Donald Trump’s presidency as one of the main reasons he is making this move. It’s true, as Kimmel said, that his own process, which he finalized earlier this year, is much simpler and easier. His grandmother’s family originally hailed from Candida in the province of Avellino, while his grandfather’s parents immigrated to New York from Ischia, an island off the coast of Naples, following a devastating earthquake in 1883 that claimed most of their relatives.
The announcement was made as part of an Italian Republic Day celebration in Los Angeles, where Kimmel boasted of his roots. He expressed gratitude for being able to reconnect with his roots and noted the importance of supporting former Trump supporters who oppose the former president’s agenda.
“Now you see these clips of Joe Rogan saying, ‘Why is he doing this? Why are you deporting people?’ And people go, ‘Fuck you! You supported him.’ I don’t buy into that,” – Jimmy Kimmel
Kimmel’s acquisition of Italian citizenship aligns him with other prominent figures in the entertainment industry who have made similar moves in response to Trump’s controversial presidency. Ellen DeGeneres and her partner Portia de Rossi have relocated to the UK out of concern over the trajectory of LGBTQ+ rights in America. At the same time, comedian Rosie O’Donnell was planning her own move to Ireland this year. Through her questions, DeGeneres suggested a radical proposal. She could still have the option of remarrying de Rossi in the UK, should same-sex marriage be rescinded in the US.
Kimmel is hardly the lone late-night host to have used his platform to take on Trump and his administration, though. He now joins a cohort with John Oliver, Jon Stewart, and Stephen Colbert. Despite his willingness to give Trump a platform, each of these comedians has been vocally against many policies and decisions enacted during Trump’s presidency. Kimmel unapologetically lamented the state of politics, saying that
“What’s going on is 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.” – Jimmy Kimmel
Change has been a constant presence in the late-night landscape. CBS controversially axed “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” shortly after Colbert criticized the network’s decision to settle a $16 million lawsuit with Trump on-air. Meanwhile, Trump himself has commented on Kimmel’s standing in the late-night world, suggesting that Kimmel’s talent is inferior to that of his peers.
“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.” – Donald Trump