‘I AM SORRY’

Jimmy Kimmel Apologizes for ‘Embarrassing’ Blackface Sketches

Kimmel said his absence from his show is unrelated to recent criticism and is part of a previously planned summer vacation.

Jimmy Kimmel apologized Tuesday for having performed in blackface at multiple points throughout his career. The late-night host wrote in a statement that beginning in the 1990s, he impersonated NBA player Karl Malone on the radio, and when he moved to television, he continued to impersonate Malone, donning makeup to make him “look as much like Karl Malone as possible.” Over the years, he impersonated other celebrities, including Snoop Dogg and Oprah, he said. “In each case, I thought of them as impersonations of celebrities and nothing more. 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,” the host added. Kimmel also noted that his absence from his show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is unrelated to recent criticism and is a summer vacation that has been planned for over a year.