ABC’s late-night host Jimmy Kimmel sparked controversy this week after revealing on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” that his staff and producers were captivated by Luigi Mangione, the suspect charged with murdering UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The segment, which aired Monday night, highlighted text exchanges among Kimmel’s team that seemed to glamorize Mangione’s appearance, prompting backlash online.
During the episode, Kimmel shared the alleged text messages, noting the peculiar obsession within his team. “So many women and men are going nuts over how good-looking this killer is,” Kimmel remarked. “There’s a huge wave of horny washing over us right now.”
The messages, presented with names changed “to protect the guilty,” revealed a surprising fixation. One exchange showed a staffer asking, “Do you guys think the UnitedHealthcare CEO killer is hot?” to which another replied, “Yes. I love Luigi. I think he’s gay, though.” Another exchange featured a producer saying, “My TikTok is flooded. Everyone is obsessed. People are saying a New York jury has the power to find him innocent because we all love him.” The response: “I’m not mad at him.”
One of the more striking examples showed a staffer writing, “I need him so bad. No, like, so bad. So, so bad.” The recipient joked, “Okay, so I would visit him in prison and bake him cookies, maybe. Perhaps more, but I haven’t thought that far ahead.”
Kimmel’s segment also delved into the broader public obsession with Mangione. He described fan-made tribute videos on TikTok, merchandise featuring Mangione’s face available on Etsy, and even a cryptocurrency named after him. “There are look-alike contests. There’s Luigi Mangione crypto,” Kimmel quipped. “People are making fan cams. It does feel kind of good to see people moving away from non-stop election coverage to drooling over a cold-blooded murderer’s eyebrows and abs. Maybe that’s progress, maybe not.”
The bizarre fascination with Mangione—dubbed by some as the “Hot Killer Syndrome”—has prompted a wave of criticism, especially given the seriousness of the charges against him. Luigi Mangione was charged Monday with murder, carrying an unlicensed firearm, forgery, providing false identification to authorities, and possessing “instruments of crime.” These charges stem from the shooting death of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, who was killed last week.
Despite the gravity of his alleged crimes, Mangione has become a social media fixation. On platforms like TikTok and Instagram, fans have shared edited videos of him, highlighting his appearance and speculating about his innocence. Critics have argued that this cultural trend trivializes the tragedy of Thompson’s murder and disrespects his grieving family.
Kimmel’s segment drew sharp online criticism. Some viewers accused the late-night host of glamorizing a murder suspect and making light of a serious crime. Others questioned whether the focus on Mangione’s appearance crossed ethical lines. “This isn’t entertainment. A man is dead, and a family is mourning,” one Twitter user wrote.
Meanwhile, Kimmel defended the segment as satirical commentary on society’s odd fascination with criminals. He noted the parallels to other high-profile cases where suspects’ appearances garnered undue attention. However, many felt the humor missed the mark.
Mangione’s legal situation continues to unfold. His defense team has remained tight-lipped about their strategy but has indicated that they plan to focus on his mental state at the time of the crime. The case’s notoriety and the public’s fixation on Mangione are likely to complicate the proceedings.
The phenomenon of public infatuation with criminal suspects is not new. Cases like those of Ted Bundy and the “Night Stalker” Richard Ramirez saw similar waves of fascination. Experts suggest this stems from a mix of media sensationalism, societal biases, and the human tendency to compartmentalize.
Critics argue that this glamorization can have harmful consequences, such as desensitizing the public to violence and undermining the severity of criminal acts. As social media continues to amplify such phenomena, the ethical questions surrounding coverage of criminal cases grow more complex.
In the wake of this controversy, Kimmel’s segment has reignited debates about the media’s role in shaping public perceptions of crime. Should entertainment shows address these topics, even humorously, or does this risk minimizing real harm? The answer remains divisive, with strong opinions on both sides.
