On the latest episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, host Jimmy Kimmel kicked off the show with some interesting facts about Leap Day. He informed the audience that February 29th was invented by a 15th-century astronomer named Augustine Leap, who noticed discrepancies between the calendar year and the Earth’s orbit around the sun. Kimmel then humorously confessed that he made up the story, but he plans on celebrating Leap Day by eating bacon and throwing coconuts in the pool, which he has convinced his son is a tradition.
The show took a serious turn when Kimmel discussed the Mexican standoff between Donald Trump and Joe Biden. Both politicians were in Texas visiting the border, with Trump accusing Biden of traveling there for political reasons. Kimmel pointed out the irony of Trump’s accusation, considering he strong-armed Republicans in Congress to reneg on a deal made with Biden to secure the border. He also highlighted a poll stating that illegal immigration is now America’s number one concern, but ridiculed the idea of constructing a wall, stating that walls are not magic and can be easily bypassed.
Kimmel then shifted focus to the MAGA gang and their support for Putin while simultaneously criticizing Mexicans. He called out the hypocrisy of embracing Russians while disregarding Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, which resulted in thousands of deaths. Kimmel sarcastically stated that Russia is not the enemy, but sleeves are. He mocked Trump’s attempts to distract from his own unfitness for office by questioning Biden’s mental capacity, using the term “mental little people” instead of mental illness, and questioned if Trump had seen the movie Rocky.
The host also covered the recent ban deal made by lawmakers to avoid a government shutdown, mocking the way the government is being run. He then humorously discussed Trump’s financial troubles, highlighting the need for him to come up with $454 million to appeal a ruling in his fraud case. Kimmel joked about Trump’s reputation for not paying people back, stating that he now has to convince a bonding company that he will definitely pay them back.
Trump also received a win from the Supreme Court, which agreed to hear his argument that a president can do whatever they want while in office. Kimmel expressed concern and humorously stated that if Trump’s argument holds up, he’s worried he might be the one shot by Trump on Fifth Avenue.
To lighten the mood, Kimmel introduced a segment called “This Week in California,” where he highlighted a bizarre fight caught on camera in Venice Beach. He jokingly compared it to the celebration of Women’s History Month, stating that women have contributed so much, including half of his parents being women.
In a comedic tribute, Kimmel mourned the closure of West Virginia’s last Hooters, referring to it as the end of an era. He led a candlelight vigil and humorously thanked West Virginia for all the memories associated with the now-closed establishment.
Finally, as a surprise, Leap Day himself made an appearance on the show. He mentioned that he hadn’t seen anyone since February 2020 and was surprised by the events that unfolded, such as the pandemic, different presidential candidates, and societal changes. Kimmel informed Leap Day about the pandemic, but Leap Day appeared oblivious to it. Kimmel then jokingly asked if Leap Day had the virus, noting his sunken eyes and patchy hair. Leap Day assured him that’s just how he looks and invited Kimmel to celebrate his birthday with his best friend, January 6th.
Overall, Jimmy Kimmel Live provided its usual mix of humor, political commentary, and quirky segments, making for an entertaining and lively episode.
