Jeff Bridges revives his “The Big Lebowski” character on Jimmy Kimmel’s show – and calls for ICE to be kept off the streets.
On Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night show, Jeff Bridges once again slipped into his cult role of “Dudes” from “The Big Lebowski” (1998), and also criticized the US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and its use of violence against migrant citizens. His message: Everyone should “calm the fuck down.”
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Speech in Dude style
The idea to revive the “Dude” came from Kimmel, who provided a patterned cardigan and a White Russian – the character’s signature cocktail. The Oscar winner quickly found his way back into the role. At Kimmel’s request, he addressed the audience in the studio and in front of the screens.
“Hey, world! It’s the dude. Can we all calm the fuck down?” Jeff Bridges began. “I mean, come on. I’m talking about all the wars, the fights, the cancellations. Let’s just chill, guys, come on.”
Bridges also explained in the role that everyone acts with a “9” on the stress barometer, even though one should be at most a “0.5”. He then addressed the increasingly hostile immigration raids being conducted by ICE across the United States: “ICE! Let’s get ICE off our streets and put it in our drinks,” he declared. The audience responded with huge applause and Jimmy Kimmel was visibly amused.
The actor added, “So let’s just stick together. We can do this.” His statements are very topical: The ICE raids under the Trump administration are becoming more extreme – the agency decided to carry out at least 3,000 arrests every day. The missions are particularly directed against vulnerable minorities, especially in the Los Angeles area.
A comeback with an announcement
Jimmy Kimmel celebrated his TV comeback with the late-night show on September 23rd after ABC briefly took the show off the air at the president’s insistence because of statements critical of MAGA. During the return broadcast, the host thanked his fans and those who “do not support my show and my beliefs, but my right to share those beliefs.” He added: “Our government cannot control what we do and don’t do on television.”