United States talk show host Jimmy Kimmel used Channel 4's "Alternative Christmas Message" to warn about the rise of fascism and criticize Donald Trump, portraying him as a leader who acts like a king.
Broadcast on Christmas Day, Kimmel said, "From a fascism perspective, this has been a really great year. Tyranny is booming over here." The Alternative Christmas Message, a Channel 4 tradition since 1993, offers a personal reflection on major events of the year, often providing a counterpoint to the British monarch's annual address.
Speaking to the UK audience, Kimmel emphasized that attacks on free speech are not unique to countries like Russia or North Korea and acknowledged the special relationship between the US and the UK.
"Here in the United States right now, we are both figuratively and literally tearing down the structures of our democracy from the free press to science to medicine to judicial independence to the actual White House itself," he said.
What is the Alternative Christmas Message?
The Alternative Christmas Message is a British television tradition launched by Channel 4 in 1993 as a counterpoint to the Queen's annual Christmas broadcast. Unlike the royal address, which is formal and unifying, the Alternative Christmas Message provides a platform for celebrities, politicians, and other public figures to offer personal, provocative, or satirical reflections on the year's events. Past speakers have included whistle-blower Edward Snowden and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
<social>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqTPV6Fr7xg</social>