On most nights, Jimmy Kimmel puts on a comedy show to help us escape from our everyday stresses. The comic tends to skew pretty funny, though his jokes can be a little dark at times.
It’s easy to forget that aside from being a funny man, Kimmel is also a doctor. As a result, many of his jokes deal with medical issues. While this can be a bit humorous, it can also be very awkward for those who struggle with medical conditions. This week, it was revealed that one of his jokes regarding dogs may have been a little too much. So how did you guys feel about it? Let’s find out.
‘I Regret ‘Jimmy Kimmel Dog Joke’ On Jimmy Kimmel’
The story broke this week when Entertainment Tonight published an article revealing that a comedian named Bill Moffit had filed a lawsuit against Jimmy Kimmel.
According to the article, after Moffit performed at the Comedy Store in Hollywood last year, he was invited back for another show. During the performance, Moffit joked about a famous actress’ dog. Specifically, he referred to the dog as “the best dog in the world,” and joked that it had acted as a sperm donor for the actress. Moffit later regretted the joke and filed a lawsuit against Kimmel for defamation.
In the lawsuit, Moffit claims that he is the victim of “public ridicule and humiliation,” adding that he “feels compelled to defend his good name and reputation.” In the article, Kimmel said that he did not intend to cause anyone harm with his jokes and that he regretted the discomfort that some may have experienced due to his humor. He also said that he has always been very careful about what he jokes about and that he has “a moral and legal obligation to ensure that my jokes do not cause harm or injustice to anyone.”
The Reaction Was Mixed
Despite his claims of innocence, the lawsuit didn’t sit well with many people. Many fans and supporters of Kimmel’s condemned the lawsuit and supported the comedian, labeling it as hypocritical and a waste of legal fees.
In a statement to Entertainment Weekly, one supporter said: “Even if you don’t find it funny, you have to admit that it’s pretty clever. It’s definitely worth defending. No one should be punished for being funny.”
Meanwhile, another commented: “I’ve never found it funny when comedians talk about celebrities. I’m all for a good laugh, but it’s never been my thing. However, I’ve never felt bad for the jokes. I think it’s kind of cute that comedians poke fun at celebrities. It adds a little bit more spice to what would otherwise be a pretty vanilla existence.”
‘Jimmy Kimmel Has A Moral And Legal Obligation To Ensure That His Jokes Do Not Cause Harm or Injustice To Anyone’
On the surface, it may seem like a slam dunk case for Kimmel. Why? Because as we pointed out above, he explicitly said that he did not intend to cause anyone harm. In fact, he went so far as to say that he has a moral and legal obligation to ensure that his jokes do not cause harm or injustice to anyone. And who is responsible for ensuring that his jokes do not cause harm or injustice? Well, it’s the comedian’s job to do that, of course. But let’s be honest–unless you’re a doctor or an expert in these matters, it’s likely that you have no idea whether or not your favorite comedian’s jokes will cause you any harm. So it’s safe to say that as the average person, you have no say in this matter.
The question is, does this mean that we should all just sit back and take everything that comes out of his mouth as truth? Is it fair to hold someone accountable for something that they didn’t mean? Should we just accept that some people are going to get offended by our favorite comedians’ jokes and that it’s not fair to ask them to check their humor at the door?
It’s a bit of a Catch-22 for Kimmel, as he’s also said that he’s always been very careful about what he jokes about and has “a moral and legal obligation to ensure that my jokes do not cause harm or injustice to anyone.” However, many people feel that he should have known better and that his joke fell into the category of something that he should have been more careful about.
‘I Think It’s Kind Of Cute That Comedians Poke Fun At Celebrities’
There’s also the question of whether or not this was just a case of a bad joke that went too far. Some feel that this was an unnecessary lawsuit and that the comedian should have just laughed it off. After all, it’s not like this was a true story, right?
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Kimmel said that his intent with the joke was to portray the actress’ dog as the best dog in the world. This seems like an innocent enough explanation and one that is certainly backed by the facts. Kimmel has also said that he does not intend to cause anyone harm with his jokes and that he regrets the discomfort that some may have experienced due to his humor. It’s easy to see how someone could read this as an apology. And while it’s true that this was not a true story, the lawsuit itself is based on an alleged incident from last year.
Then again, it’s not like any of this is really new. We’ve always known that comedians can be pretty funny about celebrities. We’ve just never really thought about it much, probably because we’ve never really considered the consequences of their jokes. But now that we are, it’s a bit different. And that’s what’s so interesting about this whole thing. It’s opened up a whole new perspective for us, as it seems that Jimmy Kimmel and his fans might not be as accepting of celebrities as we previously thought.
So what do you think? Does this mean that we should just stop listening to or watching Jimmy Kimmel’s comedy? Or is this just a case of a bad joke that went too far? Let us know in the comments below!