Greg Shapiro, Kimmel & Self-Censorship
Greg Shapiro, Kimmel & Self-Censorship
Dutch American Comedian Greg Shapiro on Dutch NOS Nieuws, reacting to US comedian Jimmy Kimmel being canceled
Interview by Joris Kreugel for NPO Radio 1, translated from the Dutch
18 September, 2025
[excerpt Jimmy Kimmel :
“We hit some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them – and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”]
Greg:
“That wasn’t even the joke. I mean, being canceled for just the set-up? As a comedian, that’s the most painful part. But that’s the point. Those were just facts. And he was canceled, effective immediately. And (not ‘canceled next year’ like Colbert, but) immediately canceled? I must admit I was shaken.
It reverberates, even over here. It’s unsettling. Now is their big chance to go after all these left-wing voices and cancel them. And calling it freedom of speech. It’s Double-Think. We’re living in Putin’s playbook at this point.”
[excerpt Greg Shapiro ListPusher: “Greg Shapiro here, the “American Netherlander.” I am a little bit of both. A bit LOUD American, and a bit ‘doe normaal’ Nederlander geworden. trouwens ben ik tweetalig, but I don’t like to speak Dutch because it makes my mouth feel sad.”]
SELF-CENSORSHIP AT BOOM CHICAGO?
Q: How does this affect you as a comedian?
A: Right now, I’m definitely dealing with self-censorship. That’s a danger for us all. I mean, I’m doing a show next with Boom Chicago – about the upcoming Dutch election. And what exactly shall we joke about? What is tasteful enough, sharp enough – but also safe enough? There’s definitely a shift happening. Even for comedians here in the Netherlands. And that is scary. Next, I feel like – if you want to make a real joke – you’d better be ready to end up like Alexei Navalny.
Last year I was busy touring my solo show “Leaving Trumpland 2.0,” about the 2024 elections. …His first term was okay, “haha funny.”
[excerpt Greg Shapiro YouTube video: “Hi, I’m Greg Shapiro, the voice of that viral video. ‘can we just say The Netherlands Second?’ And it’s true. For 4 years I was nice and busy saying things like ‘you can ride them, you can date them, you can grab them by the pony.’]
Here in the Netherlands, it was easy to say, “Oh well, that’s happening over there.” But now – since the start of his second term – we’re all realizing “Oh dear, they really had a plan this time.” And we’re feeling it here in the Netherlands as well.
[excerpt from Leaving Trumpland: “I will say one positive thing about Donald Trump. He lied a lot. But he was consistently honest about one thing. He does not like people who are not the same color as he is. And that is technically all of us, because no one is the same color he is. He is not a naturally existing color.”]
LISTEN TO THE RADIO INTERVIEW :
Greg Shapiro quoted on NOS Nieuws about Jimmy Kimmel cancellation
https://nos.nl/artikel/2583049-jimmy-kimmel-van-het-scherm-in-de-vs-beangstigend-en-gevaarlijk
Greg Shapiro The Madness of King Donald Solo Show:
https://youtu.be/tlX2FUzXdT8?si=ei3FaEcAdZvRligb