Jack Quaid and his father, Dennis Quaid, seem to have taken their familial debate to the public stage regarding the scandal surrounding Jimmy Kimmel.
Even before the announcement that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be returning to air on September 23, Jack, age 33, was vocal in his support for Kimmel on social media platforms.
“❤️My support goes out to @jimmykimmellive,” Jack expressed on Instagram on September 19. “Having appeared on his show thrice, I was consistently met with generosity and warmth from him and his entire team. Protecting freedom of speech is paramount in our democracy. #freedomofspeech #jimmykimmel.”
This supportive declaration from Jack comes just days ahead of his father, Dennis, 71, making an appearance on Piers Morgan Uncensored, where he was prompted to comment on the fallout surrounding Kimmel’s controversial remarks concerning the murder of Charlie Kirk.
While Dennis acknowledged that Kimmel “has always been a kind individual” both in front of and behind the camera, he nonetheless suggested that there might be warranted consequences for the late-night host’s remarks.
“Certainly, he has the right to express his thoughts, yet one must be prepared for any repercussions that such expression may invite,” Dennis remarked during his chat with Piers Morgan on September 23. “Freedom of speech comes with a set of responsibilities, and one must be willing to shoulder those if they choose to speak candidly.”
Jimmy Kimmel. Randy Holmes via Getty Images
Additionally, Dennis accused Kimmel of painting an incorrect portrayal of Tyler Robinson, the individual charged in connection with Kirk’s murder during an incident at Utah Valley University on September 10.
“What Kimmel presents is essentially misleading, attempting to frame this individual as part of the right-wing camp,” claimed Dennis.
In the episode aired on September 15 of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel shared his thoughts on the evolving murder case of Kirk.
“The weekend descended to new lows with the MAGA crowd furiously attempting to refashion this individual who murdered Charlie Kirk as someone outside of their fold, seeking to gain political advantage from the chaos that ensued,” Kimmel stated. “Amidst all the blame, there was actual sorrow present.”
Jimmy Kimmel and Jack Quaid Randy Holmes/Disney
Furthermore, he questioned President Donald Trump‘s relationship with Kirk, especially in light of his responses to media queries.
“This is not indicative of how a mature individual grieves the loss of someone they regarded as a friend,” Kimmel asserted, following a clip of the president discussing construction at the White House instead of acknowledging Kirk. “That’s more akin to how a child mourns a pet fish.”
Shortly after this particular episode, a spokesperson for ABC confirmed to Us Weekly that Kimmel was being taken off air.
Nexstar Media, which operates various television stations, expressed strong disapproval of Kimmel’s remarks regarding Kirk’s death in an official statement to Variety.
On September 22, The Walt Disney Company stated that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would resume its taping on Tuesday.
Despite Kimmel’s impending return, both the Sinclair Broadcast Group and Nexstar Media Group affirmed their affiliates would still opt to preempt Jimmy Kimmel Live!, standing firm in their convictions amidst the scandal.
