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The New Zealand Herald
The New Zealand Herald
National

Jimmy Kimmel reported to police over Will Smith joke

Will Smith might not have been arrested for his hitting Chris Rock but Jimmy Kimmel has landed in hot water for a joke about it.

The host of Jimmy Kimmel Live has found himself being reported to police after he made a "violent" joke toward US politician Marjorie Taylor Greene.

New York Post has reported Kimmel joked on his late-night show that Smith should slap the politician after she took to Twitter to say that Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski, Susan Collins and Mitt Romney were "pro-paedophile" for stating they would vote to confirm Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

Greene's comment was a reference to claims that in the past Jackson had let sex offenders off the hook by sentencing them with leniency.

Kimmel also referred to the politician as "Klan mom" and said Greene was "especially upset" by her fellow Republicans' decision to vote in Jackson.

Kimmel joked: "Wow, where is Will Smith when you really need him?" to which Greene has responded by reporting the late-night host to police for a "threat of violence".

Greene took to Twitter to share the news saying: "ABC, this threat of violence against me by @jimmykimmel has been filed with the @CapitolPolice."

Kimmel later replied: "Office? I would like to report a joke."

Greene then responded with another tweet saying: "You weren't joking. You hide your misogyny and your racism behind your "jokes" on @ABC.

"This was a dog whistle to the violent left to assault me or worse, and you're already inspiring fantasies of violence against me.

"How many new death threats will I get that are your fans?"

Capitol Police are yet to respond to requests for comment.

Will Smith made headlines last week when he hit Oscars presenter Chris Rock after the comedian made a G.I. Jane joke about Smith's wife, Jada Pinkett Smith's bald appearance.

The actor then sat down and aggressively shouted at Rock: "Keep my wife's name out of your f***ing mouth." Smith later won the best actor Oscar.

The fallout has continued to rock Hollywood, with many condemning Smith for his actions including the Academy. Smith has since issued an apology to Instagram where he called his actions toward Rock "wrong" and admitted he was out of line.

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