Amidst enthusiastic applause, Meryl Streep appeared on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” Thursday night, joining the host as part of her promotional tour for the eagerly awaited sequel “The Devil Wears Prada 2.”
Streep opened by asking, “How are you?” in an apparent nod to President Trump’s vigorous campaign to have Kimmel removed over a joke suggesting Melania Trump resembled “an expectant widow” due to her husband’s increasingly frail and tired appearance.
Earlier in the day, Trump took to Truth Social, questioning, “When is ABC Fake News Network firing seriously unfunny Jimmy Kimmel, who incompetently presides over one of the Lowest Rated shows on Television?” He added, “People are angry. It better be soon!!!” (Kimmel’s show, however, maintains solid ratings.)
In response, Kimmel assured Streep, “I’m holding up.”
Streep praised Kimmel, saying, “You’re a prince. You are a Knight Templar,” and commended him for “carrying the banner of freedom of the press.”
After Kimmel modestly remarked, “I’m just trying to do some jokes,” Streep emphasized, “We all depend on you — and the world is listening. I’ve just come from around the world.”
Streep is well-versed in the subject of press freedom, having received acclaim for her portrayal of Washington Post publisher Katherine Graham in the 2017 film “The Post,” which depicted the newspaper’s publication of the Pentagon Papers.
