Rob Schneider has a new target — and he’s not making jokes this time. The comedian and longtime political commentator published a lengthy open letter on X addressed directly to Walt Disney Company CEO Josh D’Amaro, demanding that ABC terminate Jimmy Kimmel’s contract immediately. Schneider accused Kimmel of “a pattern of reckless, dehumanizing rhetoric” that he says is contributing to the dangerous political climate in America.
The letter was triggered by a joke Kimmel made about First Lady Melania Trump — calling her glow “like an expectant widow.” Schneider called the comment dehumanizing and argued that media figures who publicly mock or demean political figures bear at least partial moral responsibility for what happens next when political violence occurs. He warned Disney directly: if something happens to a political figure as a result of this kind of rhetoric, the company’s inaction would be on their hands.
Schneider’s letter came loaded with passion — but it also came loaded with a significant factual error. In the letter, he claimed that Kimmel’s contract with ABC had already expired on April 30, 2026, implying that Disney was actively choosing to continue airing the late-night host without any formal agreement in place. A community note on X quickly corrected the record: Kimmel’s contract actually runs through May 2027, a full year beyond the date Schneider cited. The error undermined what might have otherwise been a more difficult argument for Disney to ignore publicly.
This was not Schneider operating in isolation. The demand came just two days after Melania Trump herself publicly called for Kimmel’s removal from the air, making Schneider’s letter part of what appears to be a coordinated pressure campaign from Trump-aligned voices. The timing — Melania Monday, Schneider Wednesday — suggested a deliberate effort to keep the heat on ABC and its parent company.
The campaign has also drawn in other conservative commentators and social media figures who have amplified Schneider’s letter, framing it as a moral stand against media figures they believe have crossed a line. Critics on the other side argue that Kimmel’s joke, while sharp, falls squarely within the long tradition of late-night political satire — and that calls for his firing represent an attempt to silence commentary that makes powerful people uncomfortable.
As of this writing, Disney has not responded. ABC has not responded. Jimmy Kimmel has not responded. His show continues to air on its normal schedule, his contract intact and valid for another year. The pressure campaign has generated significant media attention and tens of thousands of social media shares — but it has produced no concrete action from the network.
Schneider’s attempt to pressure Disney collapsed somewhat under the weight of his own factual error, giving the company easy cover to ignore the letter without engaging its substance. But whether that matters in the long run is another question. The underlying pressure campaign against Kimmel — driven by a coalition of conservative commentators, political figures, and at least one former first lady — shows no sign of stopping. Whether Disney eventually responds or continues to stay silent may say as much about the state of media and politics as anything Kimmel or Schneider could put in a letter.