Kanye West Appears on 'Jimmy Kimmel' to End Their Wild Twitter Feud

Culture

I’ve been completely engrossed by the feud between Jimmy Kimmel and Kanye West. I can’t imagine a more fascinating standoff than one involving Kanye — who may be the world's most famous rapper, and is definitely one of the most unapologetically self-important celebrities in Hollywood — and Kimmel, a self-deprecating comedian and king of late-night television. The juxtapositions of race and temperament were only made more compelling by Kanye and Kimmel's shared fame and visibility. Then, just as quickly as it had become awesome, the feud was over. Last night, Kanye appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and the two men attempted to publicly explain their argument and reconcile.

The conversation went from an explanation of their disagreement, peppered with Kimmel’s jokes, to a dissection of the scrutiny that celebrities face, which Kanye likened to being a "zoo animal," a metaphor that Kimmel praised. West devoted a few words to making peace with Kimmel, although his admission of his egotism, and statement that he's a "creative genius," made his effort seem half-hearted. Kimmel made mixed amends as well, suggesting that he has always defended Kanye, even though, "a lot of people think [Kanye’s] a jerk."

All in all, I found the end to the feud to be anticlimactic. Kanye never apologized, which is in line with his statement to Kimmel’s audience that he’s never engaged in a publicity stunt, and only spoken the truth. And Kimmel, who serves as a comedic liaison between celebrities and the public, did exactly what should have been expected, graciously deferring to his guest. In the end, my only disappointment is that Kimmel let Kanye off the hook without receiving an actual apology. What do you guys think? Is this feud over?