Robert De Niro made a surprise cameo during Jimmy Kimmel’s highly anticipated return to his late-night show Tuesday night, pretending to be the new chairman of Donald Trump’s FCC.
After Kimmel gave his emotional returning monologue, he told viewers that FCC chair Brendan Carr, who threatened Disney and ABC last Wednesday which led to Kimmel’s suspension, would join the show live from Washington, D.C. Instead, De Niro pretended to be the new mafioso FCC chairman who was tearing down free speech on behalf of Trump.
“So you tell Whoopi over there, she better show a little respect or the only view she’s getting is from under George Washington. The bridge, not the guy,” De Niro began. He was referring to “The View” host Whoopi Goldberg, whose fellow ABC talk show stayed silent over Kimmel’s suspension last week and finally addressed the controversy on Monday. After yanking Kimmel off the air, Carr then threatened “The View” last week.
When Kimmel asked if he was threatening Goldberg, De Niro replied, “I would never threaten Miss Goldstein. I was just teaching a lesson about consequences.”
Kimmel followed that up by saying, “Pardon me for saying, and maybe you’re the wrong guy to talk to, but it seems like the FCC is using mob tactics to suppress free speech.” He also reminded the supposed chairman that the FCC will fine the show for swearing on air.
De Niro then went on an expletive-ridden rampage, saying “What the fuck did you just say to me? I am the fucking FCC. I can fucking say whatever the fuck I want. Look. It’s just me, Jimmy, the chairman of the FCC, gently suggesting that you gently shut the fuck up.”
“Speech, it ain’t free no more. We’re charging by the word now,” he added. When Kimmel asked how much he’s charging, De Niro explained: “Depends on what you want to say. Like if you want to say something nice about the president’s beautiful, thick, yellow hair or how he can do his makeup better than any broad, that’s free. But if you want to do a joke like he’s so fat he needs two seats on the Epstein jet, that’s gonna cost you.”
Watch the full video below.
