Megyn Kelly lashed out at “sanctimonious leftists” in Hollywood for their “hypocrisy” in embracing Trump-bashing Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel on Monday despite the fact that the late-night star once wore blackface for a comedy skit that made fun of basketball legend Karl Malone.
Kelly, who was fired by NBC in 2018 over comments she made about the controversial topic, lambasted the Oscar attendees “who laughed and curried favor with the man who wore blackface so many times, he’s second only to Justin Trudeau in his fondness for the practice.”
On her SiriusXM podcast Monday, she noted that the audience at the Academy Awards “absolutely ate up the performance by Hollywood darling Mr. Kimmel” even though “some of the very same celebrities who wanted you to believe they were horrified — horrified — after yours truly said in 2018 that people used to don dark makeup to imitate well-known black celebrities and it wasn’t a big deal.”
Kelly alluded to Kimmel’s stint on the 1990s cable comedy “The Man Show,” during which he portrayed Utah Jazz star Malone in a skit where he appeared with dark makeup to resemble the African American power forward.
In 2020, Kimmel apologized for the skit.
Kelly had her NBC career cut short after she weighed in on those wearing blackface, saying that “in the 70s/80s, it used to be viewed differently.”
Nurses, police officers and UPS workers have been among those who have been fired in recent years after images of them wearing blackface surfaced on social media.
Blackface is considered offensive in mainstream culture due to the unflattering depictions of African Americans in minstrel shows that were staged from the mid- to late 19th century through the mid-20th century.
Kimmel’s career was not affected by the Malone skit, Kelly noted.
“Obviously Kimmel’s love of blackface was not a deal-breaker for ABC — which already employs him as a late-night host and which, in addition to its many blackface awards shows, also produced and promoted many shows and stars in blackface,” she said, citing actor Robert Downey Jr. and others.
“It appears the real sin with blackface, you see, is talking about how standards on it have changed, not actually wearing it. You can still win Oscars and host the Oscars after doing that.”
Kelly also took aim at actor Robert De Niro, who also repeated his criticisms of former President Donald Trump, denouncing him as a racist.
“Wonder if he pulled Jimmy Kimmel aside last night and asked him to atone for his blackface-loving past?” Kelly said.
The Post has sought comment from ABC parent company Disney, Kimmel and De Niro.
