Karl Malone and Jimmy Kimmel. Credits: Instagram and Imago.

Late-night show star Jimmy Kimmel recently released a statement this Tuesday apologizing for his offensive impersonation of Karl Malone in the 1990s. Kimmel was a regular on ‘The Man Show’ and had gained immense slack for appearing in blackface, impersonating NBA legend Karl Malone for a comedic skit.

Twenty years after performing these comedic skits, Kimmel is apologetic about his comedy sketches from early in his career. Kimmel attracted significant criticism from conservative politician Donald Trump Jr. and Fox News after they unearthed Kimmel’s usage of the N-word while mimicking rapper Snoop Dogg.

Earlier this week, Trump Jr. addressed this issue on X (formerly Twitter) and reiterated he was against punishing comedians for their jokes. However, throwing shade at Jimmy Kimmel, Trump Jr. questioned the running of Kimmel’s late-night show, despite never issuing an apology for his controversial skits.

In his apology, as noted by Vanity Fair, Kimmel admits that his delay in apology was indeed a mistake. Kimmel explained that his impersonation of Karl Malone, Snoop Dogg, or any other celebrity, for that matter, had nothing to do with their skin color.

However, he feels embarrassed about his distaste for his previous sketches. He says, “Looking back, many of these sketches are embarrassing, and it is frustrating that these thoughtless moments have become a weapon used by some to diminish my criticisms of social and other injustices.”

Kimmel concluded his apology, stating that he has evolved and matured since impersonating Malone. He believes that his maturity reflects on his audience or anyone who watches and enjoys his show at this point in time.

Jimmy Kimmel braved criticism and slack all while remaining the host of his late-night show

Jimmy Kimmel has been hosting his late-night show, ‘The Jimmy Kimmel Live!’, since 2003. Though Kimmel had several such moments with ABC Network wherein he almost had his show canceled, he was still brave enough to retain his courage and apologize for all of his mistakes.

One of Kimmel’s other controversies related to the NBA was when he appeared on ABC’s half-time show during the 2004 NBA Finals. Kimmel suggested that if the Detroit Pistons defeated the Lakers, the city of Detroit might get burnt by the Lakers fans, which was “not worth it.” 

ABC’s Detroit affiliate, WXYZ-TV, immediately worked on damage control to not air the segment on their station. When the ABC officials pulled Kimmel’s show from the network, he immediately apologized.

Kimmel has interviewed several NBA stars, most recently being Magic Johnson. A close peer of Karl Malone’s, Johnson revealed many secrets from his early days in the league and his relationship with the league’s greats, such as Michael Jordan.

Indeed, the Jimmy Kimmel show gives viewers a wholesome insight into their favorite celebrities’ lives, of course, added with Kimmel’s tinge of humor and gags to add to the flavor.