— Bill Maher has been exceptionally virulent on his misnamed “Politically Incorrect” lately, more the Overlord than usual, even, and full of rage at President Bush. This (ABC to End ‘Politically Incorrect’) must be why:
ABC will announce today that “Politically Incorrect,” its late-night comedy-discussion program, will go off the air in January and be replaced by a show starring the comedian Jimmy Kimmel.
Mr. Kimmel, who has been one of the hosts of the raunchy “Man Show” on the Comedy Central cable channel, will start up a more traditional late-night show with a desk-and-guests format, an ABC executive said yesterday. The show will also explore aspects of Mr. Kimmel’s home life, the ABC executive said. The news will be announced during ABC’s introduction of a new prime-time entertainment schedule to advertisers.
Unlike Maher, a Hugh Hefner-wannabe who hangs out at the Playboy Mansion and only dates women under 20 with two-digit IQs, Jimmy’s a family man. But more important for ABC is the fact that he’s actually funny, and not the crashing PETA-phile bore than Maher has become since leaving Comedy Central too many years ago.