Jimmy Kimmel has warned Aaron Rodgers that he could pursue legal action against the sidelined quarterback after Rodgers made comments tying Kimmel to Jeffrey Epstein. During his weekly appearance on The Pat McAfee Show, Rodgers specifically named Kimmel as someone who “doesn’t want” a soon-to-be-released list of names previously redacted in a civil suit filed before Epstein’s death to be made public. The purported list contains around 150 names of people allegedly associated with Epstein and his sex crimes. However, it was not a comment that Kimmel took lightly.
“For the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any ‘list’ other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality. Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court,” Kimmel wrote on X. Neither Rodgers nor ESPN have commented on the quarterback’s claims.
Kimmel-Rodgers Feud Reignites In Headache For Disney
Dear Aasshole: for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any “list” other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality. Your reckless… https://t.co/p8eug12uiS
Jimmy Kimmel and Aaron Rodgers have never been on good terms. Rodgers’ anti-vax stance, as well as his views on things such as UFOs, have previously been a source of mockery on Kimmel’s late-night show. In March 2023, Kimmel called Rodgers a “Green Bay Whack Packer” after Rodgers suggested that the recent declassifying of UFO-related documents was an attempt to distract people from the potential of the “Epstein List”. Despite this, their feud has never been as serious as it is now.
However, the issue also creates a major headache for Disney. Rodgers made his comments on ESPN. What’s more, while ESPN does not pay Rodgers to appear, Pat McAfee, an ESPN employee, does pay Rodgers an appearance fee. Meanwhile, Kimmel’s late-night show airs on ABC. Both ABC and ESPN are Disney subsidiaries, creating an in-house nightmare now that the two broadcasters are seemingly butting heads. This remains a developing story and we’ll have any updates as and when they emerge.
Magic Johnson has said that the NFL is “very happy” with Travis Kelce dating Taylor Swift because of the amount of revenue it has generated. Magic’s comments came during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel. Specifically, Kimmel had noted that Magic should “get one of those Commanders to date Taylor Swift. It seems like you make so much money.”
Swift Fever has taken over the league after the singer and Chiefs tight end got together nearly two months ago. The early weeks of Swift’s attendance at Arrowhead Stadium led to a massive surge in viewership from young women, a demographic that the NFL has never previously captured. While the Kelce family isn’t overly thrilled about the attention that the relationship gets, the NFL has continued to milk it dry in terms of content and coverage.
Is Travis Kelce Joining Taylor Swift In South America?
Meanwhile, Kelce had a fun little exchange with his brother this week about whether he would be hitting up the Eras Tour in South America. However, Traylor fans will be left disappointed as Kelce refused to give a definitive answer. “I might just say f-ck it and just go somewhere nice, I don’t know. My skin’s getting real pale so I gotta go somewhere sunny,” Travis said on New Heights when asked by his brother if he had plans for the Chiefs’ bye week. When Travis added that he wanted to be “closer to the equator”, Jason shot back with a “South of the equator?”
Taylor Swift, Travis’ girlfriend, will be in South America for the next few weeks for the final 2023 shows on the Eras Tour. November 9-11 see her in Buenos Aires. Meanwhile, she will spend November 17-19 in Rio and November 24-26 in São Paulo. There had been speculation as to whether Kelce would join Swift in at least Argentina, given his convenient bye week. The other dates seem improbable given the Chiefs games on November 20 and 26.
Diddy recently reflected on his experience using psychedelic toad venom, also known as 5-MeO-DMT, during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday. “I’m the type of guy [who’ll] try anything once… with an ambulance outside,” Diddy joked on the show. “Eric didn’t see what I saw,” he added, referencing Eric Andre, who previously discussed his own experience with the drug with Jimmy Kimmel.
Diddy continued: “I had an experience. I had heard Mike Tyson and Joe Rogan talking about it. You know, you have to be in the wave of just like, into looking for what’s passed here sometimes to be into psychedelics. But, it’s something that I wouldn’t recommend unless you are using my man and I’ll give y’all my man’s number after this. I wouldn’t advise it to anybody, but I could just speak on my experiences. I took the chance.” From there, he added that he won’t go into detail about how it went. “That’s the rules,” he said.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 01: Sean “Diddy” Combs attends The 2023 Met Gala Celebrating “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line Of Beauty” at The Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 01, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images)
Diddy had previously confirmed that he experimented with psychedelic toad venom during an interview with The New York Times. “I’m a big old hippie,” he told the outlet. “I had a little bit of ego left in me. And when I did toad, I officially had a ego death.” After describing the drug as life-changing, he added: “It’s a journey you don’t even remember. The best way to describe it is it’s just like a opening of a whole different portal, without you seeing it open.” Check out Diddy’s latest comments on the trip below.
Diddy Discusses Trying Toad Venom
Elsewhere in the Jimmy Kimmel Live! appearance, Diddy discusses his Halloween costume, the rumor that he once tried to fight Will Smith, and more. Be on the lookout for further updates on Diddy on HotNewHipHop.
Born in Brooklyn, New York, but raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, James Christian Kimmel’s initial engagement with entertainment was not in the dazzling lights of the television studio but on the airwaves of radio. He started as a radio host while studying at the University of Nevada. The witty and magnetic personality, later a hallmark of late-night television, was first recognized over the radio. But like all great entertainers, his eyes were set on more prominent stages, and he moved to television, setting the foundation for a career that would eventually be appraised at an impressive $85 million in 2023, according to CAknowledge.
Late Night Laughter Leader
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – MAY 23: Jimmy Kimmel and David Letterman attend the Netflix FYSEE David Letterman ATAS Official at Raleigh Studios on May 23, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Netflix)
Jimmy Kimmel’s entry into television was nothing short of serendipitous, co-hosting Comedy Central’s game show Win Ben Stein’s Money, earning him an Emmy for Best Game Show Host. This early success was merely a glimmer of what was to come. Then, he struck gold with Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2003, a show that became synonymous with late-night entertainment. From political satire to hilarious celebrity interviews, the show epitomized modern late-night television. Remember the “Mean Tweets” segment? Those viral videos were thanks to Kimmel’s knack for understanding the pulse of popular culture.
Kimmel’s fearless approach to humor, including roasting presidents at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, has earned him critical acclaim and a special place in the landscape of American comedy. With two Primetime Emmy Awards under his belt, the achievements are not just in accolades but in influence.
Father, Husband, Prankster: Personal Life & Highlights
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 13: (L-R) Jimmy Kimmel, Anthony Anderson, and 24kGoldn attend Wheelhouse and Rally’s celebrity and content-creator private fund raise event, with rare collectibles on display from sports, culture and history on October 13, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. Rally is a Fractional Investing Platform for Collectibles. (Photo by Tommaso Boddi/Getty Images for Wheelhouse)
Beyond the screen, Kimmel’s personal life is filled with laughter and love. Married to Molly McNearney, a co-head writer for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he is a father to four children. His antics as a prankster extends to his family as well, and his children have been the subjects and accomplices of various pranks over the years. But Kimmel is more than just laughs. His heartfelt monologues, particularly one about his son’s congenital heart condition, resonated with audiences and shed light on healthcare issues. It was a defining moment that showcased his ability to blend humor with compassion, making the personal political.
The Man Behind The Laughs
LOS ANGELES, CA – SEPTEMBER 09: Late Night TV Host Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney and Daughter Jane arrive for the 8th Annual L.A. Loves Alex’s Lemonade at UCLA Royce Quad on September 9, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Greg Doherty/Getty Images)
Away from the spotlight, Kimmel has been astute in his business ventures. As a producer, he has backed shows that align with his comedic sensibilities. His production company, Jackhole Industries, has a history of innovative and successful programming. Further, Kimmel’s heart is as large as his humor in the philanthropic sphere. His charitable efforts include support for children’s hospitals and numerous humanitarian causes. He is more than a funny face; he is a comedian with a cause.
Conclusion
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 23: Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel attend TIME 100 Gala, TIME’S 100 Most Influential People In The World at Jazz at Lincoln Center on April 23, 2013 in New York City. (Photo by Kevin Mazur/WireImage for TIME)
What emerges from Jimmy Kimmel’s narrative is the portrait of a man whose humor and humanity are intertwined. The dollars attached to his name may make for an interesting statistic, but the richness of his career and life goes beyond numbers. Whether making people laugh through a television screen or touching hearts with personal stories, Kimmel’s value lies in his ability to connect.
From the glistening roads of Vegas to the high-stakes world of Hollywood, Kimmel’s journey has been about taking risks, tickling funny bones, and never forgetting that the essence of comedy is, at its core, a shared human experience. While substantial, his $85 million net worth is but a footnote in a career that’s been as thoughtful as it has been entertaining. His real wealth is in the connections he’s made, the lives he’s touched, and the laughter he’s spread.
Just days after Jimmy Kimmel hosted the Oscars, his talk show’s executive producer (and his wife) Molly McNearney is setting the record straight about how some viewers thought he said Rihanna’s name wrong during the show.
“We had two versions of the monologue,” Kimmel’s wife Molly McNearney told Variety. “One if Rihanna was in her seat, one if she was not in her seat. One if Rihanna had her baby on her lap, which she wanted to do. And one if her baby was not on her lap. A lot of our jokes were kind of at the mercy of people being in their seats.”
“Jimmy is obsessed with pronouncing people’s names correctly,” McNearney said. “There is a guy at the show whose job is to find the pronunciations. We always find video of the person saying their own name on camera. And that is the way you pronounce Rihanna. There’s a whole interview with her about it.”
“Jimmy said, ‘I want to call her the way the name that she calls herself.’ And that’s how she says it in Barbados,” she added. “It felt funny to people. Now America knows how to pronounce her name, although they won’t. They’ll just assume Jimmy f*cked up but no, he did not!”
Nick Cannon responded to Jimmy Kimmel making jokes about his kids at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night. Speaking with TMZ after the award show, Cannon says that he found them “hilarious” and can handle it. Kimmel had been discussing Avatar: The Way of Water when he remarked, “Disney spent 2 billion dollars to make this movie. Just to break even, all of Nick Cannon’s children had to see Avatar four times.”
“Nah, it’s hilarious. I created Wild N’ Out. I can hear jokes all day long,” Cannon told TMZ, before adding, “Kimmel’s my man.” When the reporter asked how many kids he’d like to have, Cannon joked, “I don’t know. Whatchu doing later?”
Nick Cannon On Stage In 2022
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – MAY 20: Nick Cannon performs onstage during opening night of Nick Cannon Presents: MTV Wild ‘N Out Live at Cellairis Amphitheatre at Lakewood on May 20, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
Cannon first welcomed twins with his ex-wife, Mariah Carey, in 2011. In the years since, he’s had 10 more babies with five other women. They include Brittany Bell, Abby De La Rosa, Bre Tiesi, LaNisha Cole, and Alyssa Scott. Most recently, Alyssa Scott gave birth to their baby in December 2022. Last month, he told Entertainment Tonight that he’s open to having more kids as well.
Nick Cannon was far from the only person Kimmel poked fun at during his time hosting the event. Perhaps most of all, Kimmel trolled Will Smith, who was banned from the event after slapping Chris Rock at last year’s ceremony. “We want you to have fun, feel safe and, most importantly, we want me feel safe,” Kimmel told the audience. “So, we have strict policies in pace. If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech. But seriously, the academy has a crisis team in place. If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the show, sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug.”
Nick Cannon’s Reaction
Nick Cannon trolling TMZ After he’s asked about Jimmy Kimmel’s Oscars jokes about his KIDS pic.twitter.com/aQSEzTlIOE
So, when Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel joked that Nick and his kids were at least partly responsible for the record-breaking box office scores of Avatar: The Way Of Water, the multi-hyphenate father of 11 took it in stride. “Avatar: The Way Of Water was the most expensive movie ever made,” Jimmy noted in his opening monologue.
“Disney spent 2 billion dollars to make this movie. Just to break even, all of Nick Cannon’s children had to see Avatar four times.”
According to TMZ, when he was asked how he felt about the joke, Nick said he was on-board with the jokes, as he and Kimmel are close. After all, Nick started out as a standup comic himself, so he can handle being the target of a good roast.
In fact, of all the cracks about his seeming drive to populate a small country, some of the best (and strangest) have come from Nick himself. Last week, he teamed up with Kevin Hart to shoot a (probably fake) promo for a game show about women competing to be his seventh baby mama. He also cracked a few jokes over the holidays about the added pressure having so many kids puts on him.
Jimmy Kimmel joked about Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at last year’s Oscars ceremony while hosting this year’s 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night. Smith was not present in the audience as the Board of Governors for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences banned him from all Academy events for the next 10 years. Kimmel also poked fun at Tom Cruise and James Cameron for not being present at the event, Steven Spielberg for allegedly never smoking weed, and many more nominees as well as attendees.
“We want you to have fun, feel safe and, most importantly, we want me feel safe,” Kimmel told the audience. “So, we have strict policies in pace. If anyone in this theater commits an act of violence at any point during the show, you will be awarded the Oscar for best actor and permitted to give a 19-minute long speech. But seriously, the academy has a crisis team in place. If anything unpredictable or violent happens during the show, sit there and do absolutely nothing. Maybe even give the assailant a hug.”
Jimmy Kimmel At The Oscars
HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA – MARCH 12: Host Jimmy Kimmel speaks onstage during the 95th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 12, 2023 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)
Later in the night, Kimmel warned that anyone who wanted to “get jiggy with it” would have to go through the Oscars’ new crisis team. The remark was a reference to Smith’s 1997 single, “Gettin’ Jiggy Wit It.” Kimmel also said that the show would go off without a “Hitch,” referencing Smith’s 2005 romantic comedy. Lastly, after noting the high number of Irish actors nominated for awards, he joked that the “odds of another fight on stage just went way up.”
The host’s jabs come less than a month after Chris Rock finally addressed the infamous incident in his Netflix special, Selective Outrage. “Everybody fuckin’ knows. Yes, it happened, like a year ago, I got smacked at the fucking Oscars by this motherfucker. People are like, ‘Did it hurt? It still hurts! I’ve got ‘Summertime’ ringing in my ears,” he said. Rock also joked about Smith’s wife, Jada, and her “entanglement” with August Alsina.
Jimmy Kimmel’s Jokes On Will Smith
Here’s the portion of Jimmy Kimmel’s opening monologue where he referenced Will Smith’s slap from last year’s show! #Oscarspic.twitter.com/2ksrwAnRJa
Don’t think you’re going to run up on Jimmy Kimmel on the Oscars stage this Sunday. Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, he said he would “beat the shit” out of someone.
“If somebody comes up on the stage and slaps me? Well, I size them up, and, if I’m bigger than they are, I beat the shit out of them on television. And if it’s the Rock, I run,” Kimmel said.
Kimmel’s playful comments after the Oscars revealed they would have a “crisis team,” in an effort to avoid the issues of last year.
Of that concept, Kimmel says, “I wish I knew. I’ve not been involved in that. I guess I’m the last thing they’re worried about,” he said about what it might entail, adding that he should “at least know what was discussed.”
In an interview with TIME magazine, Bill Kramer, Academy of Motion Picture Arts CEO, was asked what measures had been put in place for this year’s Academy Awards to ensure that no unexpected situations arise. He said a good host, such as Jimmy Kimmel, who is hosting this year, is good because they are used to dealing with live TV and can navigate unexpected situations. He also talked about the formation of the crisis team.
“But we have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place. We’ve run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.
Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars. But these crisis plans—the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place—allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly. This is how we all come together. This is the spokesperson. This will be the statement. And obviously depending on the specifics of the crisis, and let’s hope something doesn’t happen and we never have to use these, but we already have frameworks in place that we can modify.”
#Oscars host Jimmy Kimmel on the “preposterous” expectations around ratings and run time, whether he’ll joke at Tom Cruise’s expense and what’s on tap if a punch is thrown: “If I’m bigger than they are, I beat the shit out of them on television” https://t.co/KOdCmDoyaV
Bill Kramer took over as CEO of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences last July. However, since then, he has spent a lot of time managing serious issues. In the past two years, the Oscars ratings are lower than they’ve ever been in the history of the award show. Now, while re-engaging viewers, Kramer has to contend with one of the biggest television scandals of last year. It’s been almost a year since Will Smith slapped Chris Rock at last year’s Oscars. However, the Academy is still dealing with the repercussions. Kramer says that there’s now a “crisis team” in place to handle unwanted surprises during the ceremony.
In an interview with Time Magazine, the outlet asked Kramer what measures are being put in place this year to prepare for potential surprised. For one, they have Jimmy Kimmel hosting the Oscars, who is used to dealing with live TV, where things don’t always go as planned. According to Kramer, a host who can navigate unexpected moments is crucial to the show’s success. Kramer went on to say, “But we have a whole crisis team, something we’ve never had before, and many plans in place. We’ve run many scenarios. So it is our hope that we will be prepared for anything that we may not anticipate right now but that we’re planning for just in case it does happen.”
The Oscars 2022
Will Smith appears to slap Chris Rock onstage during the 94th Annual Academy Awards at Dolby Theatre on March 27, 2022 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Neilson Barnard/Getty Images)
The “crisis team” has reportedly been running possible scenarios and solutions to what could occur during the show. When asked about what those scenarios look like, Kramer explained how the crisis team will come together for various issues. “Because of last year, we’ve opened our minds to the many things that can happen at the Oscars,” Kramer said. “But these crisis plans—the crisis communication teams and structures we have in place—allow us to say this is the group that we have to gather very quickly. This is how we all come together. This is the spokesperson. This will be the statement. He also said that, depending on the crisis itself, they “already have frameworks in place that we can modify.”
Time also mentioned how the President of the Academy recently said their response to the Will Smith slap was inadequate. Then, the interviewer asked what an accurate response would have looked like. According to Kramer, people are absolutely looking at that as the award show comes closer. He hopes they can move swiftly and compassionately to engage with members and nominees in a transparent way. He says, “Let’s hope something like this never happens again—but we could have moved more quickly. And I’m not just talking about the night of the show. This is really our response after the show, and how we spoke about it, and how we talked to Will and Chris, and our hosts and our members.”
