Bill Burr praises Luigi Mangione in fiery Los Angeles speech

Bill Burr is excited.

The 56-year-old comedian and actor blasted insurance companies and praised accused shooter UnitedHealthcare CEO Luigi Mangione while talking about the Los Angeles fires during his Tuesday appearance on “Jimmy Kimmel Live! “

Burr revealed that, like many people in Los Angeles, he had to evacuate after flames threatened his home.

“I was lucky,” he says. “You know, the winds have moved.”

“And I think everyone did a great job.” Unlike the Internet,” he added, referring to the avid criticism of state and local authorities’ response to the fires.

Burr went on to mock online critics who liken themselves to “fire experts” and bemoan how the fire was “poorly handled.”

“Mismanaged? As if some idiot on the Internet knows how to deal with the worst fire in Los Angeles? Sitting there in my underwear? he continued.

Turning to speculation about the causes of the many fires that have ravaged Southern California, Burr said, “I like how all the chatter is about banning illegal immigrants and homeless people from lighting fires. fires. »

“They light fires every day,” he added. “They live outside, it’s really cold.”

In Burr’s view, the media has its eyes on the wrong subject and the wrong target.

“You know, and then they talk about looting. But CNN and Fox News are not going to talk about insurance companies who are simply going to keep everyone’s premiums while giving themselves a bonus,” he said to applause from the audience.

“Yes! Free Luigi!” he exclaimed following applause, referring to Luigi Mangione, 26, accused of shooting and killing UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. (Mangione has pleaded not guilty.)

Drawing laughter from Kimmel and the crowd, Burr simply talked about Mangione.

“I like the way they acted surprised: ‘How could this happen?'” he said, imitating media pundits (and probably insurance company executives) .

“(The killer) wrote on the bullets why this happened,” Burr added. According to law enforcement, the bullets fired at Thompson bore the words “deny,” “defend” and “depose,” allegedly referencing the book of the same name on “Why Insurance Companies Don’t Pay Claims and what you can do.” About that.”

A jovial Kimmel responded, “We’re still on Luigi?

“I never left Luigi!” Burr responded.

The “Old Dads” star has previously spoken out about Mangione.

“The funny thing about this CEO getting beat up is seeing CEOs feel uncomfortable,” Burr said in an interview with Variety published Tuesday.

“I’m sure they haven’t learned anything, but it’s like: this is how everyone feels on a daily basis when you apply pressure because ‘that’s how business is done’” , he also told the site. “How to leave this burning wreck of destroyed lives as you “restructure” and “consolidate.” It was fun to see them worry.

Burr also criticized media coverage of Thompson’s murder last month in an episode of his show “Anything Better?” podcast.

“They’re gangsters, fucking gangsters, and when one of them gets beat up or something, they’re like, ‘Oh my God, he was such a good guy,'” he said. -he said about healthcare CEOs, who he called a “dirty game.”

Burr’s anger at home insurance companies follows recent reports that thousands of Los Angeles homeowners were fired by their insurance companies in the days before the Palisades and Eaton fires. Meanwhile, US insurers raked in record profits in 2023 – $87.6 billion from their property and casualty businesses alone – according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners, as reported by The Guardian.