Had someone told me the revolution would be led by a comedian, I’d have put my money on Jon Stewart, a keen political observer who walks a tightrope between satire and outrage. Jimmy Kimmel would not even have been on my bingo card.

Kimmel came to political satire relatively late, and under duress. Early on, he put down stakes in the field of big-tent comedy. For 15 seasons on Jimmy Kimmel Live! he seemed determined to create a space where everybody could share a laugh and leave politics at the door.

Then in 2017, his son Billy was born with a heart defect. Through tears, Kimmel spoke out about U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to health-care, and he kept speaking out. While political humour divides, Kimmel continues to emphasize basic values on which everyone can agree, like no pare

See Full Page