‘Dumb As Rockettes’: Jimmy Kimmel Bashes ‘Melania,’ Insults Fans Of Documentary

 

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel once again showed his true colors, dismissing the documentary Melania’s $7 million opening weekend as some kind of “rigged” Hollywood stunt. Naturally, he couldn’t resist sneering at middle America while doing it.

Kimmel, who has made a career out of mocking the very culture he claims to critique, ridiculed the film’s record-setting debut the biggest non-musical documentary opening in a decade as if that achievement meant nothing. “It only lost tens of millions of dollars,” he quipped, clearly irritated that a Trump-associated project could still draw a crowd.

As usual, his monologue was filled with condescension toward everyday Americans. He mocked reports of bulk ticket purchases, comparing it to Donald Trump Jr.’s bestselling book in 2019, which he claimed “no one has ever opened.” Then he went further, taking aim at women in Dallas who dressed in gowns inspired by the First Lady, calling them “dumb as a Rockettes.” It was a classic display of late-night elitism mocking anyone outside the Hollywood bubble.

Kimmel leaned on the same talking points circulating in some media corners, including a Substack post by former IndieWire editor Tom Brueggeman, which questioned how the $7 million total was achieved. The suggestions included:

• Pity Purchases: Groups buying blocks of tickets to give away to seniors and activists.

• MAGA Spite: Fans buying tickets just to “own the libs” after media outlets prematurely declared the film a flop.

• Studio Math: Estimates that conveniently minimized Sunday drops to inflate weekend totals.
  
  

What Kimmel couldn’t hide was that audiences loved the film. Melania boasts a 99% audience score higher than The Godfather. But for him, it seems the real offense is that millions of Americans still make their own choices, rather than taking cues from a late-night teleprompter.