Raging Moderates with Scott Galloway and Jessica Tarlov
Episode: Why Jimmy Kimmel Returned
Date: September 24, 2025
Vox Media Podcast Network
Episode Overview
This episode centers on the recent controversy around Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension and reinstatement, exploring the intersections of free speech, corporate response, and political pressure in the Trump era. Scott and Jessica analyze backlash against Disney/ABC, the broader implications for democracy and media, Trump’s latest pronouncements on acetaminophen and autism, and the redecorating of the White House, all from a centrist yet sharp perspective.
Main Discussion Points & Insights
1. Jimmy Kimmel's Return & Media Aftershocks
[04:07 – 16:43]
- The Controversy: After a brief but high-profile suspension, Jimmy Kimmel was reinstated to ABC. Both Scott and Jessica dissect the reasons behind this reversal and the enormous public and industry blowback that pressured Disney/ABC.
- Free Speech & Corporations: Discussion about politicians (notably Trump and his appointees) and corporations (Disney and ABC) caving to political pressure versus protecting the First Amendment.
- Jessica: "There’s a good pro-democracy message laced in here, which is you are not powerless." [05:29]
- Corporate Communications & Crisis Management:
- Scott: Explains how modern corporate value is driven by narrative and CEO "storytelling," and how corporate comms has become critical in managing reputation and financial risk.
- "Amazon was essentially a company built on a story... Storytelling capabilities have become incredibly powerful." [07:40]
- Disney’s press release is called "milquetoast and totally disingenuous..." [10:02]
- Scott: Explains how modern corporate value is driven by narrative and CEO "storytelling," and how corporate comms has become critical in managing reputation and financial risk.
- Economic Consequence as Leverage:
- Scott: "This is the bottom line. This is about money, full stop. ...Our site is crashing because so many people are trying to cancel Hulu, ESPN, and Disney. ...Oh, it’s costing money. Let’s backtrack." [11:04]
- Democracy vs. Corporate Cowardice:
- Disney’s and Iger’s actions are positioned as emblematic of America’s struggle with creeping authoritarianism and ‘cultural cowardice.’
- Scott: "Bob Iger, you are a terrible American." [13:51]
- Jessica: Notes how grassroots actions (cancellations, celebrity protest) forced Disney’s hand, and speculates on continuing repercussions for leadership and ABC’s affiliate relations.
2. Sinclair, Mergers, and the Future of Local News
[16:43 – 21:45]
- Sinclair Refuses to Air Kimmel: Some affiliates, notably Sinclair, refuse to reinstate Kimmel and air right-wing alternatives.
- Jessica: "Sinclair is saying that they are not going to start airing Jimmy Kimmel again… When they took Jimmy off, they aired a Charlie Kirk kind of documentary that made him out to be a prophet." [15:06]
- Industry Consolidation:
- Scott: Local TV’s audience is "literally dying." These businesses are propped up by periodic political ad spending, but are fundamentally in decline.
- Rapid consolidation (Sinclair/Tegna merger), layoffs, and capital flight to podcasting and digital.
- "Ad rates have gone through the roof and ad spending on podcasts have gone through the roof." [18:17]
- Consumer Economic Action:
- Collective action (subscription cancellations, artist/public protest) as the real force behind change—more powerful than political platitudes.
3. Trump, Tylenol, and Autism: Science vs. Politics
[24:16 – 39:53]
- Trump's New FDA Guidance: On Monday, Trump announces guidance warning against acetaminophen (Tylenol) use in pregnancy, citing autism risk—a claim not supported by medical consensus.
- Clip: Trump: "Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it if you just can’t. I mean, it’s just fight like hell not to take it." [25:01]
- Political Paternalism & Grift:
- Jessica: Strong indictment of male politicians’ ignorance and disregard for women’s health:
- "Have you ever witnessed a group of people so hell bent on making the lives of women harder than the Republican Party right now?" [25:29]
- Details the anxiety and limited medical options during pregnancy; slams the administration for unscientific, harmful guidance and underlying grift: "They’re not mentioning that the cure they’re pushing… is sold by Dr. Oz’s supplement company, IHERB. So again, there’s always a grift element."
- Scott: Expands on social/medical context, frustrated by mass overdiagnosis and media manipulation:
- "Every wealthy family whose kid... is not getting straight A’s and playing the violin... is clearly autistic. I don’t mean to diminish the real issue... but every parent I know from a wealthy household has had their kid tested for autism." [31:17]
- Notes that the definition of autism has hugely expanded and that risk claims vanish in rigorous studies ([33:21]).
- Both hosts agree: actual science and trusted brand stewardship (cf. Tylenol’s 1980s recall) stand in stark contrast to current political theater.
- Jessica: Strong indictment of male politicians’ ignorance and disregard for women’s health:
4. Trump’s Gold-Obsessed White House Makeover
[42:01 – 48:52]
-
Lavish, Tacky Redecorating:
- Trump is remodeling the White House with gold leaf, planning a 90,000-square-foot ballroom, financed by private donors—prompting hosts’ mockery and broader concerns.
- Clip: Trump: "We added a lot of 24 karat gold. And it’s very expensive and I think very beautiful. …That’s why it just beams." [42:35]
- Jessica: "He really liked his life as a reality TV host and real estate developer, and it would have been nice if he had just stuck it out and then he could talk about the Liberace vibe for hours..." [43:12]
- Disturbed by the infusion of donor money and the huge financial windfalls accruing to Trump’s family.
- "They’re taking us to the cleaners. …That’s more disturbing to me than the gold plated everything." [45:12]
- Scott: Outrage at the lack of taste and tradition and the obvious distraction tactic:
- "There was clearly no gay man involved in this process. This was some straight white woman out of Bob Jones University whose husband is a donor. This thing is so tacky." [45:37]
-
Political Implications:
- While Trump is focused on gaudy décor, current polling numbers paint a grim picture for his standing on the economy, tariffs, and crime.
- Jessica: "The House is on fire while he’s caking it in gold. …They’re paying absolutely no attention to the things Americans actually care about." [48:34]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Jessica: "You are not powerless. …You can cancel your subscription. …Guess what, they’re going to pay attention to that." [05:29]
- Scott: "Amazon was essentially a company built on a story. …Corporate communications departments have been just booming…" [07:40]
- Scott (on Iger): "Bob Iger, you are a terrible American. You have turned your back on the ideals and the principles that have made you a fucking billionaire…" [13:51]
- Jessica: "There’s a very bad day for those folks who were arguing that this was just a straight up business decision…very clear that that is not the case." [05:56]
- Trump (clip): "Don’t take Tylenol. Don’t take it if you just can’t. …Fight like hell not to take it." [25:01]
- Jessica: "Have you ever witnessed a group of people so hell bent on making the lives of women harder than the Republican Party right now?" [25:29]
- Jessica (on Trump’s White House): "It’s so gaudy and it’s so gold. But also that he has no sense of history… It’s so lacking in perspective on what role he’s actually playing in our history." [43:42]
- Scott: "He sat down with the interior decorator… and said, I have a vision for this thing. I want it to look like an Iraqi whorehouse." [45:37]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Opening/banter: [01:01 – 04:07]
- Jimmy Kimmel returns, media/corporate flap: [04:07 – 16:43]
- Sinclair/Affiliate drama, local media in decline: [16:43 – 21:45]
- Tylenol ban, autism claims, and gendered policy harm: [24:16 – 39:53]
- Trump's White House Renovation and donor windfalls: [42:01 – 48:52]
Tone & Takeaways
Scott and Jessica maintain their trademark candor and irreverence, cutting through political spin to highlight the alarming normalization of political interference in media, the dangers of populist anti-science, the pervasiveness of corporate cowardice, and the real-world impacts for everyday citizens and stakeholders. The episode is rich with side stories, punchy one-liners, but never loses sight of substantive concerns about democracy, women’s health, and the state of the American center.