CNN commentator Scott Jennings has accused late-night host Jimmy Kimmel of effectively giving his audience “marching orders” to vandalize Tesla vehicles, sparking a heated debate amid rising tensions over Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration.
The controversy stems from Kimmel’s monologues on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on March 18 and 19, where he sarcastically addressed a wave of attacks on Tesla cars and dealerships—incidents including arson and gunfire linked to backlash against Musk’s involvement with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and his perceived influence on federal budget cuts.
In his Tuesday monologue, Kimmel noted Tesla’s stock plummeting over 40% since January 2025, quipping, “Tesla stock is way down, almost disastrously so,” before deadpanning, “Please don’t vandalize. Don’t ever vandalize Tesla vehicles,” with a pause that drew laughs from his audience. On Wednesday, he doubled down, playing clips of Tesla arson attacks and suggesting Musk’s actions—like “pulling out a chainsaw to celebrate firing thousands of people”—justified public anger. Kimmel’s sarcasm was clear, but Jennings, a conservative pundit, interpreted it as a call to action.
During a CNN NewsNight panel on March 19, Jennings condemned the vandalism as “domestic terrorism,” aligning with President Trump’s stance, and argued it was an organized effort targeting Tesla owners—many of whom, he noted, might lean Democratic—for emotional reasons tied to Musk’s politics. When former Biden official Neera Tanden countered by referencing the January 6 Capitol riot, Jennings erupted, calling her “condescending” and defending his consistent opposition to political violence.
The message from the American Left to conservatives is unmistakable: silence yourselves, or we will do it for you. This isn’t comedy - these are marching orders. https://t.co/DveEyW47nl
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) March 20, 2025
The accusation ignited a firestorm. MAGA supporters on X amplified Jennings’ view, with posts labeling Kimmel’s remarks as incitement to “terrorist attacks,” some even calling for lawsuits or his arrest. Critics, including The Daily Mail and Townhall, framed it as part of a broader leftist pattern of condoning destruction when it suits their narrative. Meanwhile, Kimmel’s defenders saw it as typical comedic exaggeration, not a literal directive, pointing to his history of mocking Musk—once calling him a “piece of s–t” in 2022 over a Pelosi conspiracy tweet.
No comments:
Post a Comment