Jimmy Kimmel receives massive support after Melania Trump joke

Jimmy Kimmel has received a massive support from his fans and friends after US President Donald Trump called Monday for the comedian to be fired for likening First Lady Melania Trump to an "expectant widow," in a joke made days before a third alleged attempt to assassinate Trump.

Melania Trump herself had earlier lashed out at Kimmel in a rare statement, calling on US broadcaster to "take a stand" against the late-night host over his comments.

Kimmel made the remarks last Thursday, before the shooting incident at the White House Correspondents Dinner in Washington on Saturday which Trump attended.

In a monologue, Kimmel portrayed himself as the MC of that upcoming banquet. It included a segment in which he addressed the first lady in the audience and said, "Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow."

Kimmel also brushed off the criticism in a monologue on his talk show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" late on Monday, saying that the gag was "obviously... a joke about their age difference."

"It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he´s almost 80 and she´s younger than I am," Kimmel said.

"It was not by any stretch of the definition a call to assassination, and they know that."

Amid this, fans and friends flooded the comments section on his Instagram post, he shared the video with one saying “I stand with Jimmy Kimmel.”

“Jimmy Kimmel is a national treasure,” the other said.

The third said, “We just sign a petition for Jimmy to be the host that night since we're paying for it.”