Kimmel Defends Student Protestors From ‘Conspiracy Theories’ and Ted Nugent (Video)
“You can’t just sit there and let these scumbags spread these lies,” Kimmel urges NRA members who “aren’t crazy”
Ross A. Lincoln | February 21, 2018 @ 10:19 PM
Last Updated: February 22, 2018 @ 6:34 AM
Kicking off Wednesday night’s episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” host Jimmy Kimmel talked about the nationwide protests earlier in the day that saw high school students across the country walk out of class to protest gun violence.
At issue, the proliferation of conspiracy theories about the students who survived the deadly mass shooting last week at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. that saw 17 people killed. Noting that even Donald Trump Jr. — “the President’s least favorite son” — liked tweets spreading the lies, Kimmel turned his attention to rocker Ted Nugent, who wrote on Facebook that the response of the surviving students is “all theater.”
“The kid who just watched his friends die is a puppet, according to Ted. Is that OK? Should a person who actively spreads this garbage all around be a member of your board if you are a reputable organization?” Kimmel asked. “Do you really think these kids, these teenagers who spoke out after a shooting at their school are actors who are part of some kind of deep state left wing conspiracy?”
“If the answer is ‘yes I do believe that,'” Kimmel continued, “I have some bad news for you: You’re crazy. You’re a crazy person. You’re brain is not functioning, and I’m worried about you. But here’s the thing: if you aren’t crazy — and most of you aren’t — and you agree that accusing teenagers of being part of some diabolical underground government scheme is nuts, you can’t just sit there and let these scumbags spread these lies.”
Kimmel also talked about Russian interference into the 2016 election, the unwillingness of Trump supporters to believe it, and Trump’s “listening session” with survivors of gun violence in which he used a crib sheet reminding him to tell them “I hear you.” Watch the clip above.
11 Hollywood Stars in the NRA: From Chuck Norris to James Earl Jones (Photos)
The National Rifle Association has stood up for gun owners for years, but come under heavy criticism for opposing gun control after mass shootings from San Bernardino to Orlando. Some celebrity members of the group have stood by it, while others have distanced themselves from certain stances.
Arguably the most famous Hollywood star associated with the NRA was Charlton Heston, who served as its president from 1998 to 2003 before stepping down after an Alzheimers diagnosis. (He died in April 2008.)
Universal
Rock musician Ted Nugent is one of the NRA's most outspoken members. In January 2015, on the organization's radio show, he called NRA opponents "subhuman mongrels" and "some kind of inbred Martian."
Getty
NBA Hall of Famer Karl Malone is an avid hunter and has served on the NRA Board. But he angered some gun owners when he spoke to Sports Illustrated about those who buy guns for their protection: "The big picture is that guns won't protect you. If someone really wanted to get you, they would."
"Walker, Texas Ranger" star Chuck Norris has a long history as an avid NRA spokesperson, creating videos supporting the Second Amendment and NRA initiatives including the "Trigger The Vote" campaign.
Actor Tom Selleck got into a heated debate with Rosie O'Donnell in 1999 when she questioned him about being a member of the NRA. In 2013, shortly after the Sandy Hook school shootings, MSNBC pundit Lawrence O'Donnell said that it was time to "question Selleck's humanity" after the actor's silence on the matter.
In 2014, an online petition circulated demanding the Glastonbury music festival remove Metallica from the schedule because its frontman, James Hetfield, is an NRA member with a history of hunting. Hetfield narrated the History Channel series "The Hunt," about a trek to Kodiak, Alaska, to kill brown bears. When it comes to gun control, however, Hetfield said in 2013: "I don’t want to make it easier for someone to have an assault weapon, but I also want to be able to protect my family."
Getty
In 2012, Whoopi Goldberg revealed on "The View" that she is a member of the NRA during an interview with libertarian writer and TV pundit John Stossel. "I don’t mind having to register and let them know that I have them," Goldberg said. "I want to know that there’s at least some way to prevent folks who are just getting out from mental institutions [from getting guns].”
Getty
James Earl Jones wrote about being a NRA member in his 1993 self-titled autobiography: "I just throw the political mail from the NRA into the trash ... When it comes to the right-wing politics of the NRA, I don’t get into that. I just believe in my right to have a gun in my house.”
Getty
After the Sandy Hook school shootings in December 2012, West Coast Choppers founder Jesse James wrote a Facebook post supporting the NRA and objecting to gun control laws in some states. "People that should not have guns will still find a way to get them. Please join the NRA now," he wrote.
Getty
Country singer Miranda Lambert is a lifetime NRA member and an outspoken gun rights advocate. At the 2016 American Country Music awards, she showed up on the red carpet sporting pink stilettos with a tiny gun and holster strapped to the front.
Getty
In a 2002 interview with The Guardian, director Michael Moore talked about how he got a NRA lifetime membership as part of a stunt for his documentary, "Bowling For Columbine." He mentioned he had planned to run against Charlton Heston for the group's presidency, but gave up on the plan. The NRA president is voted on by board members, rather than the entire organization.
Getty
1 of 12
Some famous members are strongly against gun control, while others have distanced themselves from the group’s most extreme stances
The National Rifle Association has stood up for gun owners for years, but come under heavy criticism for opposing gun control after mass shootings from San Bernardino to Orlando. Some celebrity members of the group have stood by it, while others have distanced themselves from certain stances.