Event Overview
Mentalist Oz Pearlman pulls out of Kimmel guest appearance, replaced by left-wing podcaster
Mentalist Oz Pearlman canceled his scheduled appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' following backlash against Kimmel's joke referring to First Lady Melania Trump as an 'expectant widow.' Kimmel's comment has drawn criticism, with Melania Trump labeling it 'hateful and violent.' Despite the controversy, ABC is reportedly standing by Kimmel and does not plan to suspend or cancel the show. The cancellation of Pearlman's appearance coincides with the backlash over Kimmel's remarks, which were made shortly before the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting.
Oz Pearlman's cancellation of his appearance on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' indicates a direct consequence of the backlash against Kimmel's comments, reflecting the potential impact of public sentiment on entertainment choices.
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Mentalist Oz Pearlman pulls out of Kimmel guest appearance, replaced by left-wing podcaster
Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel defends his 'expectant widow' joke about Melania Trump, sparking widespread backlash. First lady Melania Trump calls his rhetoric 'hateful and violent,' and former Obama aide David Axelrod labels it 'tasteless.' Fox News contributor Joe Concha criticizes ABC for enabling Kimmel's behavior.
How ABC is handling Jimmy Kimmel backlash over Melania Trump ‘widow’ joke
Jimmy Kimmel isn’t going anywhere despite backlash over his “expectant widow” joke about Melania Trump . An ABC source exclusively tells Page Six the network “is sticking by” the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” host and “don’t plan to suspend him, fire him or cancel the show.” The insider confirmed, “It’s back to taping per.
Kimmel’s crass first lady joke: Letters to the Editor — April 29, 2026
The Issue: Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel referring to First Lady Melania Trump as “an expectant widow.” Even for a bad comedian, timing is everything; Jimmy Kimmel proved that age-old axiom with his tasteless comment that First Lady Melania Trump has a “glow like an expectant widow” ( “Trumps call to can this joker,”.