While in the process of explaining the comedic process to his debate table interlocutor on CNN’s NewsNight with Abby Phillip, comic and filmmaker W. Kamau Bell did the classic “clown nose on/clown nose off” that is the hallmark of the left-regime comic. That he did it while explaining Jimmy Kimmel’s mendacious Monday bit is pure poetry.
What started this whole controversy is Kimmel’s misrepresentation of the shooter as a diehard MAGA supporter, despite emerging evidence to the contrary that was made public well in advance of the show taping. And it is within the context of this discussion that Kamau said the following:
WATCH: W. Kamau Bell offers the "clown nose on/off" defense of Jimmy Kimmel's Monday monologue: "I think judging comedians about what they say is true or not is not actually understanding the job of the comedian. The job of the comedian is to tell a joke and make a point and if… pic.twitter.com/JruhLP1D91
— Jorge Bonilla (@BonillaJL) September 19, 2025
LANCE TROVER: Do you agree with what he said, though? Do you agree that what he said was an inaccurate and a lie? I mean, everybody knew what he said was an inaccurate and a lie? I mean, everybody knew. I mean, no, no, serious question.
W. KAMAU BELL: I’m trying but have to use my mouth to answer it.
TROVER: The governor of Utah, you could have gone the day before had said this guy was indoctrinated by the left. He went out and said…
BELL: He did that based on vibes. He didn't have any evidence of that. There's no evidence that guy…
TROVER: We’re going go down this road again! Seriously- are you going to deny it?
TROVER: Deny what? Based on the evidence, we want to wait on the evidence.
BELL: I'm going down all the roads.
TROVER: You’re not answering my my questions, I’m serious.
BELL: You didn’t get me time, you’ve been talking…
TROVER: Do you think what he said, you agreeit was inaccurate, it was a lie.
BELL: I think- first of all, I think judging comedians about what they say is true or not is not actually understanding the job of the comedian. The job of the comedian is to tell a joke and make a point and if you judge a comedian by the accuracy of their statements, comedy ceases to exist. He’s not a reporter, he’s not Abby, he’s not a journalist. He’s a standup comedian who is telling a joke to make a point for his audience that got a big response.
The problem over the course of the past couple of decades and beginning, perhaps with Jon Stewart, is this entire crop of clown nose-on comics trying to moonlight as newsmen, or at least play a parody version of them on TV.
When they want to give some verbose Olbermannesque speech, they’’ll act very serious. Super serious, even. But when they want to crack a joke they’ll switch back. Clown nose on, clown nose off. And when they get seriously challenged on some point or another they’ll say “I’m a comic.”
Kamau’s explanation of what Kimmel was trying to accomplish is the textbook definition of clown nose on/off. This motte-and-bailey style of commentary has severely damaged our political discourse.
Many are trying out some form of a defense of Kimmel’s remarks by saying that what Kimmel said was a joke. If so, nobody got it and worse, it inflamed the entire political landscape. Kamau tried it and ended up doing the meme.
