The David Pakman Show: September 24, 2025

Episode Theme: United Nations embarrassment as Jimmy Kimmel returns
Host: David Pakman | Guests: Jimmy Kimmel (clip), Gavin Newsom (clip), Colin Allred (interview), Caroline Levitt (clip)

Episode Overview

On this episode, David Pakman dives into three major stories:

• The return of Jimmy Kimmel to ABC and Donald Trump’s extraordinary and legally threatening response
• Donald Trump’s controversial and embarrassing appearance at the United Nations
• A substantive interview with Texas Democratic Senate candidate Colin Allred
  Pakman unpacks the intersection of politics, free speech, and media, with a particular focus on authoritarian overreach and its chilling downstream effects.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Jimmy Kimmel Returns: Trump’s Threat and the Free Speech Fight

[00:07–11:02]

• Return of Kimmel & Trump’s Reaction:
  Jimmy Kimmel resumed hosting his ABC show after a brief absence, prompting Donald Trump to post a furious rant on Truth Social threatening legal action. Trump lambasted ABC, calling Kimmel’s content "99% positive Democrat garbage" and suggested his return constituted an illegal campaign contribution.

  • "He is yet another arm of the DNC and to the best of my knowledge, that would be a major illegal campaign contribution. I think we're going to test ABC out on this." – Donald Trump (cited by Pakman, 00:50)

• Pakman’s Analysis:
  Pakman points out the hypocrisy of the situation—if Kimmel’s removal was purely business, why would Trump now threaten lawsuits? He highlights the “Streisand effect,” noting that Trump’s outrage is boosting Kimmel’s audience and giving broader attention to the controversy.

  • "All of a sudden I’m eagerly awaiting Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue last night... It has given millions in new audience to Jimmy Kimmel." – David Pakman (02:01)

• Larger Implications for Free Speech:
  Pakman emphasizes that the case isn’t about Kimmel personally but is illustrative of deeper attacks on free speech from the executive branch. He questions whether the White House should have any say in what shows remain on air and warns of chilling effects beyond just major celebrities.

  • "The question is, in what ways is this going to be used to intimidate, to suppress other speech, and to limit the diversity of the voices that we hear?" – David Pakman (04:23)

• Jimmy Kimmel’s Monologue Highlights:
  Kimmel emotionally addresses criticisms of his earlier remarks, clarifies his intentions, and decries government pressure on comedians.

  • "It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man... I posted a message on Instagram... sending love to his family and asking for compassion." – Jimmy Kimmel (05:24)
  • Kimmel stands firm that ‘government threats to silence comedians are anti-American’ and references historic defenders of free speech.
  • "A government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American." – Jimmy Kimmel (08:05)

  Pakman notes Kimmel specifically calls out FCC chair Brendan Carr for public threats and makes light of Cruz comparing Carr to a “mafioso.”

  • "Brendan Carr is the most embarrassing car Republicans have embraced since this one." – Jimmy Kimmel, referencing a Cybertruck photo (09:30)

• What’s Really at Stake:
  Kimmel and Pakman agree: this story’s resonance is about defending the space for satire, dissent, and independent voices—especially those without Kimmel’s resources.

  • "This show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this." – Jimmy Kimmel (09:53)

2. Gavin Newsom’s Warning: Democracy at a Crossroads

[13:30–17:17]

• Newsom on Colbert:
  The California governor asserts the future of American democracy is at risk, expressing fears there may not be a presidential election in 2028 if anti-democratic trends persist.

  • "I fear that we will not have an election in 2028. I really mean that in the core of my soul, unless we wake up to the code red." – Gavin Newsom (13:30)

• Pakman’s Perspective:
  He respects Newsom’s directness, citing the rarity of Democratic officials willing to state the stakes so bluntly and to criticize the party’s communication failures.

  • "It is hard to think about too many other elected officials in the Democratic Party... who are speaking with this strength and directness." – David Pakman (12:43)

• Newsom Critiques Democratic Weakness:
  Newsom admits Democrats “have had a difficult time pushing back” and that the party is perceived as weak—acknowledging the need for both substantive and symbolic fights.

  • "Democrats, frankly, have had a difficult time pushing back... at times there's sort of this weakness that dominates our brand and our party." – Gavin Newsom (15:54)

• Pakman: Historical Warning:
  Pakman invokes Plato, noting democracies unravel when citizens lose faith. He appreciates Newsom’s ‘code red’ message and general alarm at rising authoritarianism.

3. Trump at the United Nations: Humiliation on the World Stage

[22:09–27:46]

• Pakman’s Recap:
  Trump used his UN speech to rant about poll numbers and repeat baseless boasts, drawing both laughter and derision from world leaders.

  • "The other world leaders, if you're wondering, did not talk about their poll numbers at the United Nations." – David Pakman (22:31)
  • Trump claims: “Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize for each one of these achievements...” (24:54)

• Fact-Checking & Reaction:
  Pakman corrects Trump’s claims about the economy, poll numbers, and international accomplishments, noting that Trump’s rambling “word salad” verges on incoherence.

  • "This is a speech more relevant to a 72 hour psych hold than to the United Nations General Assembly." – David Pakman (23:40)
  • "Your countries are going to hell." – Donald Trump (24:19)

• Victim Narrative:
  Trump and his press secretary quickly blame technical issues—the infamous “stopped escalator” and teleprompter malfunction—on supposed sabotage, a theory debunked as his own staff's error. Pakman highlights the absurdity of the grievances and the self-victimization at play.

4. Pakman Interviews Colin Allred: Texas’s Senate Race, Voting Rights, Social Security, and More

[34:39–53:23]

• The Texas Senate Challenge:
  Allred, a fourth-generation Texan, former football player, congressional representative, and voting rights lawyer, explains why he believes Texas may finally be “in play” for Democrats.

  • "For me, it's personal to fight for my state... I was a voting rights lawyer because I wanted to make sure every Texan and every American would have a chance to make their voice heard." – Colin Allred (35:19)

• Coalition Building and Working Class Appeal
  Allred emphasizes bringing disaffected Black, Latino, and working-class voters into the fold, as well as persuading independents and moderate Republicans.

  • "It’s policy, but I also think it’s personal... I'm not coming at this from some lofty position." – Colin Allred (39:26)

• Policy Highlights: Social Security Reforms
  The plan includes removing the cap on taxable income for Social Security after a gap, so the wealthy pay more without increasing their benefits, which would instead go up across the board.

  • "We would expand the benefits by $2,400 a year for every senior." – Colin Allred (45:06)

• Gerrymandering and Political Reform
  Allred supports fighting gerrymandering—“I hate it with a passion”—and champions nonpartisan redistricting, referencing the John Lewis For the People Act.

  • "We have to fight fire with fire so they can't rig the election, but… end gerrymandering forever." – Colin Allred (45:38)

• Democratic Party’s Present and Future
  Pakman presses Allred on the perceived lack of clear vision within the Democratic Party. Allred responds by referencing 2018’s wave elections as a blueprint for finding strong candidates and focusing on working-class issues.

  • "We've been considered to be too online, too elite, too out of touch..." – Colin Allred (50:54)

5. The Escalator "Sabotage" Fiasco

[56:24–64:39]

• Trump’s Team Pushes Sabotage Claims
  White House Press Secretary Caroline Levitt claims the UN intentionally stopped Trump’s escalator and sabotaged his teleprompter, despite evidence it was Trump staff or self-inflicted error.

  • "If someone at the United Nations intentionally stopped the escalator... they need to be fired and investigated immediately." – Caroline Levitt (57:00)

• Fox News Amplification
  Jesse Watters: “It does appear to be sabotage…”
  Caroline Levitt: “…UN globalist staffers were basically plotting to set up the President of the United States…"

• Pakman’s Take
  Pakman mocks the spectacle as pure victimhood theater and points out that such narratives, even when debunked, get amplified to serve the authoritarian narrative of persecution and “strength under siege.”

  • "Classic of authoritarianism... you are so strong, but at the same time, so much time is spent attacking others for the smallest things." – David Pakman (62:00)

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

• Pakman on Streisand Effect:
  "It has given millions in new audience to Jimmy Kimmel who now all of a sudden feel like they have a stake." (02:01)
• Kimmel’s Recourse to History:
  “One thing I did learn from Lenny Bruce and George Carlin and Howard Stern is that a government threat to silence a comedian the president doesn’t like is anti-American.” (08:05)
• Newsom’s Dire Warning:
  “I fear that we will not have an election in 2028. I really mean that in the core of my soul, unless we wake up to the code red.” (13:30)
• Colin Allred’s Policy Summary:
  “We would expand the benefits by $2,400 a year for every senior.” (45:06)
• On the UN Escalator Incident:
  "If someone at the United nations intentionally stopped the escalator as the president and first lady were stepping on, they need to be fired..." – Caroline Levitt (57:00)
• Pakman on Authoritarians’ "Victimhood":
  "They lose their minds over the most minor thing, like the escalator stopped, the teleprompter didn’t work. Put aside for a second, whether it’s their fault or someone else’s…" (62:00)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Jimmy Kimmel’s Return & Trump’s Lawsuit Threat: 00:07–05:09
• Kimmel’s Monologue – Address & Free Speech: 05:09–10:04
• Pakman on Bigger Picture, Indie Media: 10:04–11:02
• Newsom on Democracy’s Crisis: 13:30–17:17
• Trump’s UN Speech (Humiliation & Lies): 22:09–27:46
• Colin Allred Interview (Texas, Social Security, Voting, Dems): 34:39–53:23
• Escalator Scandal: Sabotage Claims: 56:24–64:39

Episode Takeaways

• The Trump–Kimmel–ABC debacle is less about late-night TV and more about out-in-the-open government pressure on speech, satire, and the media.
• Authoritarian narratives rely on grievance—even over trivialities—to justify attacks on opponents and stoke loyalist outrage.
• The future of American democracy, voting rights, and basic political norms—from free comedy to fair elections—is seen by both Pakman and his guests as under unprecedented threat.
• Importantly, real stakes for smaller, less-resourced independent voices are underscored—what happens to Kimmel today might happen to a podcaster or local journalist tomorrow.

[This summary covers the essential themes, major discussions, notable statements, and key timestamps from the September 24, 2025 episode of The David Pakman Show: "United Nations embarrassment as Jimmy Kimmel returns."]