Mentalist Oz Pearlman has pulled out of a planned appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, backing away just days after a shooting disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and as criticism of the late-night host continues to build.
Pearlman had been scheduled to join Kimmel on Monday night, but his name was quietly removed from the lineup. In his place, the show now lists Pod Save America host Jon Lovett. No official explanation has been given, but the timing has drawn attention. The decision comes on the heels of a tense weekend that combined a violent incident in Washington with a growing backlash over remarks Kimmel made about first lady Melania Trump.
The controversy traces back to a segment on Kimmel’s show last week, where he delivered a parody of the correspondents’ dinner. During the bit, he joked that Melania Trump looked like an “expectant widow,” a line that quickly spread online and sparked criticism from the Trumps and their allies.
🇺🇸 Mentalist Oz Pearlman was standing right next to Trump when shots rang out at the WHCA Dinner this weekend.
Now he’s pulled out of his Monday spot on Jimmy Kimmel Live.
Here’s where it gets messy. Two days before all this, Kimmel ran a skit calling Melania an “expectant… https://t.co/tc368t3Y9B pic.twitter.com/rsGlou7lih
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) April 28, 2026
That criticism intensified after shots were fired outside the Washington Hilton during the actual event on April 25. Pearlman was there performing for President Trump, the first lady, and other guests when the situation unfolded. In a post the following day, he described the moment in stark terms, saying it felt like everything shifted instantly from a routine performance to a life-threatening situation.
He recalled being in the middle of a trick when he noticed a sudden commotion. At first, he wasn’t sure what was happening, but the reaction around him made it clear something was wrong. Within seconds, people were on the ground as Secret Service agents moved in.
Pearlman said he ended up just a few feet from the president during the chaos, and the experience left a lasting impression. He later called it the scariest moment of his life, adding that he was grateful no one was hurt.
Authorities identified the suspect as a 31-year-old man who now faces multiple charges, including attempted assassination of the president and firearms offenses.
As the investigation moved forward, the political fallout from Kimmel’s joke continued to grow. Melania Trump publicly condemned the comment, calling it divisive and harmful, and argued that it contributes to an already strained national climate. She also questioned why Kimmel remains on air, accusing his show of crossing a line from comedy into something more corrosive.
President Trump echoed those concerns, urging ABC and its parent company to fire Kimmel. He described the joke as unacceptable and framed it as part of a broader pattern of rhetoric that he believes fuels hostility.
Kimmel has not backed down, maintaining that the segment was intended as a roast, not a serious statement. Still, the combination of a real-world security scare and an ongoing media controversy has made the situation more complicated than a typical late-night dust-up.
