Month: September 2025

Leave a comment Posted on ABC, Disney, First Amendment, Jimmy Kimmel

Kimmel is Back . . . and so is the First Amendment

Last week, Disney reinstated ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” after an “indefinite” weeklong hiatus. For many, this news felt like a breath of fresh air—a flicker of light in a time that’s felt like a freefall into darkness.

Let’s be honest: we’re talking about a late-night comedian, not a head of state. In the grand scheme of 2025’s challenges, this ranks low on the scale of victories. And yet, for the half of the country that didn’t vote for you-know-who, it’s a symbolic win—a reminder that dissent still has a voice.

Comedians like Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and Jon Stewart offer more than laughs. They provide a lifeline to those deeply concerned about a presidency that operates without guardrails, wielding unprecedented power and dominating public discourse with relentless appearances and social media tirades. Their monologues—sharp, satirical, and unflinching—serve as miniature reality checks, countering the illusion that the current administration enjoys universal support.

I witnessed an ICE raid firsthand. It was terrifying. I never imagined seeing such a scene unfold in America. While many support stronger borders, few endorse masked agents with automatic weapons storming car washes and restaurants. And let’s be clear—people working minimum-wage jobs for years aren’t the criminals we should be chasing.

For months, it felt like opposition had vanished. Executive orders flew unchecked. Vitriolic posts went unchallenged. The president even told a reporter, “When you have evening shows, and all they do is hit [me]… they’re not allowed to do that.”

Actually, they are. It’s called the First Amendment:

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…”

Those who clutch the Constitution when it suits their agenda must respect the entire document—or risk unraveling its very foundation.

Critics who accuse Kimmel of lacking journalistic ethics miss the point. He’s not a journalist. His show isn’t the ABC Evening News. It’s satire. It’s commentary. It’s meant to challenge power, just as Johnny Carson and Mort Sahl once did.

Imagine the uproar if President Obama had suggested that the FCC revoke Fox News’ license or silence Bill O’Reilly and Sean Hannity for criticizing him. The backlash would have been swift and fierce.

And then there’s the petty cruelty: a recent addition to the White House colonnade features gold-framed portraits of every U.S. president—except Joe Biden. In his place? A photo of an autopen, the machine that replicates signatures. Why stoop so low?

As conservative columnist David Brooks observed, “You’ve got an administration where people are going to do the things that are disgraceful, because they just don’t see any disgrace in it.”

That’s why voices like Kimmel’s matter. Satire is not just entertainment—it’s resistance. Someone has to call a spade a spade.

Leave a comment Posted on class reunion, students

A Reunion to Remember

Attending class reunions is not on my bucket list which is why I’ve never appeared at one.  Since I had few friends in high school, why would I want to see people 10, 25, 50 years later with whom I never interacted with in the first place?  

However, when a former student of mine reached out to me with an invitation to her class’s 10th year reunion, I said, “yes.”    This wouldn’t be a reunion of people I went to school with, it would be seeing former students who are now approaching 30 years old. 

I have always enjoyed receiving emails and texts from those who shared a part of their youth in my classoom. Often they’d come by during their first year in college, a time when they struggle with the transition of becoming more independent and desire to return to familiar surroundings. 

Typically, it has been former journalism students who have remained in contact in my retirement years since I formed more personal bonds with those who worked on the school newspaper.  And Melody, the young lady who organized the Class of 2015’s party, was one of those students.

The event was held in a bar/billiards establishment.  My wife agreed to accompany me to ensure I’d have at least one person to talk with.  We walked past the billiard tables to a secluded bar area in the back and there was Melody greeting us.  At first, I was surprised how few people had gathered, but by the time the evening was over, nearly 40 people were present; I was one of a handful of teachers.  It was nice to see these former colleagues, but catching up with my students was what made the evening special for me. 

As student after student approached me, I could still detect the younger faces in the more mature visages now in front of me.  A couple of them have married and one recently had her first child.

The highlight of the evening was hearing from them how much they remembered about my classes and the positive impact it made on their lives.   As I have often said, these moments make a teacher’s career feel well spent.  Once students leave our classrooms, we rarely get a chance to see how they are doing years later.  I’m glad I went. Us older teachers need those moments.