Jimmy Kimmel mocks Floridians who have died of coronavirus: 'All those orphaned ferrets, it's a shame'
Kimmel choked up on the air in 2015 over killing of Cecil the Lion
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, who once choked up on the air over the death of a lion, sparked outrage after mocking Floridians on Monday who have died of COVID-19.
"This is an interesting statistic. COVID deaths have proven to be much higher in states that voted for Trump," he said during his monologue. "Of the 54,000 Americans who died from COVID since the start of the summer, almost one of five — one in five of them died in Florida, which my God, all those orphaned ferrets, it’s a shame."
He added that if your state has more "GEDs than PhDs, stay indoors."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}JIMMY KIMMEL SAYS UNVACCINATED PEOPLE SHOULDN'T GET ICU BEDS IN HIS RETURN TO HIS LATE-NIGHT SHOW
Kimmel added it wasn't just "right-wing nuts" who are ignoring science, also taking shots at the "Lululemon crowd" and "wellness influencers" who have spread misinformation about vaccines.
New York Post columnist Karol Markowicz fumed, "Jimmy Kimmel is a terrible person but at least he's also not at all funny."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"They hate you and want you dead," the Media Research Center's Dan Gainor wrote.
CAITLYN JENNER CALLS OUT JIMMY KIMMEL AFTER HE MOCKED HER CANDIDACY FOR CALIFORNIA GOVERNOR
In contrast to his seeming indifference to the death of Floridians, Kimmel grew emotional on the air in 2015 while discussing the killing of "Cecil the Lion" in Africa by an American tourist. The shooting of the beloved animal stirred outrage around the world.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The left-leaning comedian has taken a particular interest in disparaging Florida, which is led by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, calling it "America's North Korea" in June.
Kimmel has become a sharply partisan figure in the late-night world since the Trump era, once even using talking points from Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., to fight a Republican health care plan.
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{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}States with the recent worst death and hospitalization rates have been ones won by Donald Trump in 2020 and have aligned with lower numbers of per capita vaccinated citizens. All time, however, six of the worst 10 states for death rates per 100,000 citizens are in ones President Joe Biden won in November, according to The New York Times.