Odd that the main forum for Herman Cain to respond to what he calls his latest firestorm would be on “Jimmy Kimmel Live.”
Kimmel is a lively and amusing interviewer, but is it really the smartest thing to answer sexual harassment charges on a show hosted by the guy who was once behind something called “The Man Show” that offered comely women bouncing on a trampoline?
As it happened, the man tied in some polls for the lead of the Republican presidential candidates, had to be shoehorned between “Twilight” heartthrob Taylor Lautner and the Swedish band Junip. (The screams of the young girls were for the movie star, not the politician). (“Both of them, I’m told, will be shirtless,” Kimmel said in the monologue in which he also said “The latest ‘Dancing with the Stars’ castoff is here – Herman Cain.”).
Kimmel’s first question was a good one: “Well, how’s your day?” It had been hours since a fourth woman came forward to claim inappropriate sexual behavior on the part of Cain – this one with a name and a voice and a press conference at the Friar’s Club arranged by Gloria Allred.
Cain, whose last words to reporters on the subject had been a petulant series of “Excuse me!” to a gaggle trying to ask the question, was ready to respond.
“We didn’t even know that this whole thing about woman No. 4 was going to even come out,” Cain said. “We are dealing with it and tomorrow, we are going to have a press conference tomorrow.”
He said “steam was coming out of my ears” during the press conference. “There’s not an ounce of truth in all of these allegations.”
Rather than keep mum, he pledged to talk about “any and all future firestorms.”
Kimmel kidded him, noting that his contributions had only increased since the allegations of sexual harassment asked him, “Do you think the other candidates will follow suit and hire women to charge them with sexual harassment?”
“If they’re smart they will!” Cain replied.
Kimmel moved to other things that have created late night comedy commentary, including the ad that featured the campaign manager who was smoking.
“He smokes,” Cain says. “That’s him.”
Cain said he never smoked pot, not even to decide what the customer base of his pizza chain was thinking, as Kimmel put it.
The host also asked whether the first thing Cain would do in office would be to see all the UFO files.
“That’s not the first thing that I would want to do,” Cain said, seeking to be Presidential. “Maybe fourth or fifth.”
“Thank you for making the election a lot more interesting than talking about just the economy,” Kimmel said at the end. “I know for you this is a distraction, but for me this is my life.”