If you watched Jimmy Kimmel's show this week, you might have caught his roasting of the White House Easter Egg Roll.
Surprisingly, his most controversial jabs were lodged at Melania Trump and we have to wonder if he would ever mock her like this if she wasn't a part of the Trump White House.
After his running joke that Melania is imprisoned, Kimmel turned his attention to making fun of how Melania Trump pronounced words from a children's book that she read at this year's annual event.
Kimmel impersonated her saying, "This and that." He then turned to his sidekick on the show, “Guillermo, you know what this means? You could be first lady of the United States.”
Few news agencies are even picking up on the story. But – what some are calling – the "racist" joke didn't evade Twitter. People were quick to point out the hypocrisy of a progressive Hollywood celebrity making jokes about people from other countries.
Not that he should mock any immigrant, but Trump speaks six languages and is the first lady of the U.S. This nativist joking was out of order.
So far no one is coming to Kimmel's defense, but they aren't asking that he apologize either.
The left has not held its tongue on how Hollywood mocks people with accents in this country. In a review of the documentary The Problem with Apu for a Socialist worker outlet, a writer notes:
Racism is now served with a dose of irony. The show's creators and viewers know exactly which lines they are crossing, and derive transgressive pleasure from the audience's ability to laugh at their own racism.
… Ironic, post-racism is just plain old racism, all dressed up, and if The Simpsons has gotten away with it, that's because its target is a vulnerable population: first-generation immigrants.
Based on this description, Jimmy Kimmel's mockery of Melania Trump's fits perfectly. His colleagues on the left should call out Kimmel for what he said.
This is not the first time Melania Trump has been mocked by Hollywood elites for how she speaks though. Chelsea Handler has repeatedly mocked Melania for not speaking English the way she does. Given Handler's potty mouth, we should be thankful that the First Lady doesn't take lessons from her.
Immigrants to this country see speaking English as a big part of assimilation into the American culture. From driving for ride-railing companies to taking English-as-a-second-language courses, many immigrants find creative ways to learn the language.
How disrespectful and discouraging it is then to watch jokes like this from someone who purportedly stands for diversity in Hollywood.
The left often speaks about respect for all people. Sadly, as Kimmel's joke demonstrates, that same respect level is not extended to a woman whose last name is Trump.