In a recent episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!", the late-night host expressed gratitude to President Donald Trump for his unexpected rise to fame on Google's trending list.
Kimmel, who has been a vocal critic of Trump, humorously attributed his newfound popularity to the President's frequent social media tirades against him.
According to Fox News, Kimmel's monologue on Thursday night saw him acknowledging his position as the third most trending person on Google. "None of this wouldve ever happened without the support of loyal viewers like President Trump, who has done so much this year to raise awareness for our show," the comedian quipped.
Google's list of the most searched topics for 2025, released on Thursday, revealed that Kimmel was the third most searched person worldwide. He was surpassed only by musician "d4vd" and rapper Kendrick Lamar, who claimed the first and second spots respectively. Interestingly, Kimmel managed to outshine both Tyler Robinson, the alleged assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and Pope Leo XIV on the list.
In his characteristic style, Kimmel made light of his ranking, stating, "Im not sure if its an honor, because number one was a singer named David who spells his name with a '4 instead of an 'a,' who is a suspect in a murder, which I guess got him bumped up. Number two is Kendrick Lamar, who murdered Drake this year at halftime of the Super Bowl. And then its me, even though I havent been involved in any murders!"
Kimmel then turned his attention to President Trump, thanking him for his unexpected contribution to his popularity. The late-night host has been a frequent target of Trump's social media criticism, with the President labeling him as "untalented" and advocating for his removal from the airwaves.
In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, last month, Trump questioned, "Why does ABC Fake News keep Jimmy Kimmel, a man with NO TALENT and VERY POOR TELEVISION RATINGS, on the air? Why do the TV Syndicates put up with it? Also, totally biased coverage. Get the bum off the air!!!"
Kimmel's on-air response was a challenge to the President: "How about this: Ill go when you go, OK? Well be a team. Lets ride off into the sunset together like Butch Cassidy and the Suntan Kid."
Kimmel also took a jab at Trump's apparent habit of watching his show, stating, "He posted this at 12:49 a.m., eleven minutes after the show ended on the East Coast, which is nice. He watches us live. Hi, Mr. President! How are you? Thanks for watching us on TV instead of on YouTube its viewers like you who keep us on the air, ironically."
However, Kimmel's humor has not always been well-received. In September, he faced severe backlash from Trump and conservatives for suggesting that Tyler Robinson, the alleged killer of Charlie Kirk, was a Trump supporter. This claim was made despite authorities describing the suspect as a liberal at the time.
The controversy led to Kimmel's show being temporarily suspended by Disney and ABC, following pressure from local ABC-affiliate stations. This decision sparked outrage among liberals, who accused Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr of influencing ABC's decision to suspend Kimmel.
Carr had previously mentioned potential "avenues" the FCC could pursue to hold ABC accountable during a conservative radio interview.
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