Last week, the unthinkable happened: Jim Gaffigan lost it. The famously apolitical comic — who never swears, is a good family man, who goes to church every Sunday (or at least did in the before-time), who never makes waves, and who regulates himself to jokes about Hot Pockets — had finally, at long last, had enough of American president Donald J. Trump. And his long-pent-up frustrations erupted in public, in a frankly incredible Twitter rant that pulled zero punches.
On Saturday, Gaffigan, calmed down but no less angry, decided to circle back. He didn’t routinely cuss, but, one thing aside, he also didn’t apologize, and he didn’t back down. Instead, he thanked those who supported his well-earned tirade and it abundantly clear he meant what he said.
“I wanted to say thank you to everyone who has expressed support about my tweets. I know the bots & trolls can be scary but the truth requires direct sunlight,” Gaffigan wrote on Instagram. He did have one addendum: “Well, maybe I was a little harsh to Karen,” referring to one woman who took umbrage with his sentiments and only received a four-letter insult in response.
He continued:
“We need to wake up. Decency is on the ballot. It can and will get worse if Trump is re-elected. The bullying happening on both sides is wrong but Trump won’t even try to fix it. Makes [sic] sure you make a plan for how you are going to safely vote.”
His statement was posted alongside a screengrab of an Instagram exchange with someone identifying as a “midwestern grandma,” who said she’s “so sad our kids have to grow up in and I truly fear it’s going to get worse.” Gaffigan responded, “We need to be truthful. Even if it makes others uncomfortable.”
Gaffigan’s tweetstorm came in the wake of Trump’s acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, where he tried to act presidential and repeatedly fell back on his old ways. On Twitter, the comic called Trump a “liar and a criminal,” a “fascit who has no belief in law,” and said that “everything Trump accuses the Democrats of he’s guilt of.” He repeatedly told people to “wake up,” and of his tireless supporters said the following: “You know he lies. Constantly. Yet you dont care? What because he insults people that make you and me feel dumb?”
Anyway, if the chilliest man in existence, who goes out of his way to appeal to liberals and conservatives, is livid over what a politician who routinely praises dictators and you’re not, maybe it’s time to do some soul-seraching.