The TV Trump Wants

PalmIn the fourth season of Hacks, veteran comedian Deborah Vance faces cancellation late night that has taken a lifetime to achieve. Managers are unwilling to take the risk that someone might think too much after the laughs. Satire remains a threat, and today the fictional plot emerges as a premonition after the dismissals of Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, two of America's most famous comedians. In a more or less veiled way, the Trump administration is behind these moves. The president has publicly praised the downfall of both, especially Kimmel, for a joke about Charlie Kirk, the recently murdered far-right activist.

late night These are entertainment programs that are highly critical of the president's image and management. Trump has already warned that Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers will be "next." Accustomed to insulting presenters, this time his statements have a more vendetta Personal.

Trump, who built much of his public image on television and on the margins between entertainment and politics, can't stand being the butt of jokes. In his mind, freedom of expression is valid as long as he's applauded. But when humor points out his megalomania, contradictions, or legal cases, it becomes an "unfair" and "unpatriotic" attack. It's the same mechanism he denounces. Hacks: the power that doesn't tolerate satire because it fears losing control of the narrative.

Of course, the former president denies any responsibility for the firings. He only celebrates them. He only points fingers. He only publicly lists the comics he doesn't like, like someone making a blacklist in primetime. If consequences come later, it will always be pure coincidence.

But it's worth remembering something essential: when comedy becomes an occupational hazard, the problem isn't the comedy itself, but the political climate that surrounds it. Satire fulfills an irreplaceable democratic function. And the attempt to silence it—even if it's disguised as personal retaliation or media revenge—should concern us all.

In short, if laughter bothers those in power, perhaps the problem isn't the joke itself, but power itself.