Mentalist Oz Pearlman has dropped out of a scheduled appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! without giving any explanation. This happened just one day after President Donald Trump publicly called for Kimmel to be fired over a controversy involving the late-night host’s monologue. The sudden withdrawal has raised a lot of questions, especially given the timing.
According to The Daily Beast, Pearlman’s spot was filled by podcaster Jon Lovett, who announced the change on X. “For my first trick, I’m replacing the mentalist on @JimmyKimmelLive tonight Ta da,” Lovett posted. Lovett, who hosts Pod Save America, also told The Daily Beast that he was “very funny.”
Pearlman had originally been chosen by President Trump to perform at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner. The event was disrupted when 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen fired shots at the venue. No one was injured, but the incident caused widespread panic among those present, including Pearlman himself.
Pearlman said locking eyes with Trump on the ground was likely the scariest moment of his life
Pearlman shared his experience on Instagram shortly after the shooting took place. “I was a couple feet away from President Trump, eyes locked with one another. It was likely the scariest moment of my life and will never forget it. So happy everyone is ok,” he wrote. His post drew a large amount of attention online, with many people responding to his account of the frightening incident.
According to BBC, he also appeared on CNN and described the moment in more detail. “We were about half-a-metre apart… face-to-face looking at each other on the ground, when I’m hearing shots and thinking to myself, ‘We’re about to die,'” Pearlman said.
Trump later appeared on 60 Minutes and said he “wasn’t worried” during the shooting. “I understand life. We live in a crazy world,” he said. The suspected gunman, Cole Tomas Allen, was arrested at the venue and charged with attempting to assassinate the president, along with weapons-related offenses. Meanwhile, Trump has been active on other foreign policy fronts, and his shifting stance on Iran peace negotiations has drawn significant attention in recent days.
On Monday, Trump posted on Truth Social calling for Kimmel to be “immediately fired by Disney and ABC” for his “despicable call to violence.” This came after Kimmel made a joke about the White House Correspondents’ Dinner during his monologue. Trump’s post sparked a fresh wave of debate online about the boundaries between political commentary and what public figures consider acceptable speech on late-night television.
The feud between Trump and Kimmel is not new and has played out publicly several times over the years. In September last year, ABC suspended Kimmel’s show for six days after Trump-appointed FCC Chairman Brendan Carr reacted to jokes made about the MAGA reaction to the death of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Trump responded by saying, “Great News for America: The ratings-challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done.” The suspension was a significant moment in the ongoing tension between the Trump administration and mainstream media outlets.
It showed how quickly political pressure can translate into real consequences for television personalities. As tensions between Trump and Democrats continue to grow, whether impeachment remains off the table may depend heavily on how the midterms play out, according to House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. For now, Pearlman’s quiet exit from Kimmel’s show remains unexplained, leaving many to wonder whether outside pressure played any role in his decision.
Published: Apr 28, 2026 01:45 pm