Written by Luke Thompson.

In the latest example of celebrity privilege, Jimmy Kimmel took his late-night platform to make a snide jab at Trump supporters, suggesting they vote late—days after Election Day. While Kimmel brushed it off as humor, many couldn’t ignore the striking similarity to Douglass Mackey, who, in 2016, was convicted and sentenced to prison for a similar “joke” encouraging Clinton supporters to “vote” via text. What Kimmel received as a laughing matter, Mackey paid for with seven months behind bars.

Back in 2016, Mackey, known on Twitter as “Ricky Vaughn,” was a prominent influencer, his tweets reaching an audience of about 58,000 followers. A notable figure at the time, he engaged with other influencers to circulate a meme encouraging voters to cast their ballots through text—a move that would invalidate their vote. Fast forward five years, and it was under the Biden administration that Mackey was prosecuted and ultimately found guilty of spreading disinformation. Meanwhile, Kimmel, whose reach eclipses Mackey’s by millions, joked openly about misleading Trump voters, without facing even a fraction of the consequences.

This inconsistency is not only shocking but shows a clear disparity in accountability. While Mackey was a mere social media figure, Kimmel enjoys a national platform with public funding. Yet, one joke led to jail time, while the other was dismissed as satire.

Privilege and Power: Kimmel’s Influence vs. Mackey’s Meme

With nearly two million viewers in his corner, Kimmel’s influence dwarfs that of Mackey’s former Twitter following. Yet, despite reaching a far larger audience, Kimmel seems to operate under a different set of rules. His recent jibe instructed Trump supporters to cast their votes late—on Thursday or Friday, well after Election Day, which, this year, falls on a Tuesday. Although clearly facetious, Kimmel’s message shared a striking resemblance to Mackey’s infamous posts.

What stands out here is that Kimmel’s status seems to grant him immunity. His history of controversial remarks, use of racial slurs, and blackface sketches are largely dismissed by mainstream media, a tolerance perhaps afforded by his political stance. This stark difference in treatment underscores the privilege that comes with celebrity status, as well as the immunity some enjoy simply due to their affiliations.

The selective outrage around these incidents exposes how influence and ideology can shape public perception. In Kimmel’s case, his high-profile status and affiliations seem to have shielded him from repercussions that landed a lesser-known social media personality like Mackey behind bars.

Our Take

This situation highlights a troubling double standard. When it comes to disinformation, it appears that accountability applies selectively, and political leanings can determine consequences. At its core, this lack of uniformity sends the message that some voices are immune to punishment, regardless of their impact. If we’re serious about fair and free discourse, this disparity must be addressed, ensuring that disinformation, whether disguised as satire or not, is met with equal scrutiny.