Bubba Wallace’s interview on Jimmy Kimmel Live tonight is a must-watch

NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace will be interview on tonight’s Jimmy Kimmel Live

There isn’t a NASCAR driver more well-known at the moment than Bubba Wallace. He’ll be in the spotlight once again tonight when he makes his Jimmy Kimmel Live! debut.

Wallace joined the NASCAR Cup Series in 2017 when he signed to Richard Petty Motorsports. His performance on the track has been mixed but it has been events away from the sport that have made Wallace a mainstream figure.

Wallace was vocal in the aftermath of George Floyd’s murder in Minneapolis and helped establish NASCAR’s support of the Black Lives Matter movement. Wallace was also a driving force in the ban on Confederate flags at NASCAR events.

Then there was the noose incident after one was found in Wallace’s stall at Talladega Superspeedway. An FBI investigation revealed that it was not a hate crime and that the rope had been hanging in the garage months prior to Wallace’s arrival. The story led to national headlines and put Wallace on every news network and website around the country.

Things went to another level when President Donald Trump got involved. On Twitter, the president questioned when Wallace would apologize for the “hoax” and another example of NASCAR’S declining popularity along with the Confederate flag ban. While President Trump didn’t get the facts of the case correct, his commentary only cast more attention on the incident and Wallace.

Bubba Wallace gets the opportunity to respond tonight on Jimmy Kimmel Live

Bubba Wallace issued a statement in response to President Trump’s tweets. Wallace took the high road and encouraged others to choose love over hate. He only addressed “POTUS” at the end of his message but it was clear Wallace had a specific audience in mind when he sent it out.

Now Wallace will get the chance to elaborate on those thoughts and once again directly respond to President Trump. Wallace is a guest on tonight’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! guest hosted by actor Anthony Anderson.

There is a long list of athletes and entertainers that have been called out by President Trump. Not everyone gets the chance to respond on a stage like Wallace will get tonight. And given the tone of his initial statement, it is clear that Wallace knows exactly what he wants to say and how to say it.

Late night television has been an ally to the social justice and racial equality movement that accelerated following George Floyd’s death. That continues tonight with Wallace’s interview. While the president twisted the narrative on Twitter, Wallace will speak directly to the audience and share his thoughts on his activism, the incident at Talladega, and finding himself the subject of the president’s tweets.

Wallace should stand in stark contrast to the combativeness of President Trump and instead continue to share his much-needed message of love and unity. It is also possible that Wallace chooses not to engage in the type of back-and-forth that President Trump feeds off of. Anderson will no doubt ask Wallace about the tweet but fans shouldn’t be surprised if Wallace focuses on the bigger issue of racial justice. Regardless, Wallace’s position as a face of the movement is well-deserved given his perspective and underlying message.

What do you expect from Bubba Wallace’s interview tonight? Share your thoughts in the comment section. Jimmy Kimmel Live! with guest host Anthony Anderson airs tonight at 11:35 PM ET on ABC.