HH. BREAKING: Jimmy Kimmel Drops a Thanksgiving ROAST So Savage the Audience Stopped Breathing
On the episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! that aired just before the Thanksgiving holiday, Jimmy Kimmel opened his monologue with a reflection on the year—one that he delivered with characteristic sarcasm. He told his audience that, as he considered what he was grateful for this Thanksgiving, the answer came to him quickly. What he appreciated most, he joked, was the simple fact that there were “only five weeks left in this year.” His tone made clear that he was more than ready to see 2025 come to an end.
He soon pivoted to the day’s political spectacle, specifically President Donald Trump’s annual turkey pardon at the White House. Kimmel described the scene with his usual comedic flair, remarking that the “presidential ketchup boat” was stocked and ready, a reference to Trump’s well-known fondness for ketchup and his frequent complaints about White House kitchen service earlier in the year. According to Kimmel, the President oversaw the ceremony at a “freshly paved over Rose Garden,” hinting at one of the many landscaping modifications that had been criticized by the press since Trump’s return to the presidency.
This year’s pardoned turkeys were named Gobble and Waddle. Kimmel quickly seized on the names, saying they also perfectly described the President’s movements during dinner. He pointed out that, traditionally, this ceremony was supposed to be a lighthearted affair in which presidents made a few corny jokes, wished the country a pleasant holiday, then returned to work. Trump, however, used the moment to tout his accomplishments, taking what was meant to be a harmless tradition and turning it into yet another opportunity for a political speech.
Kimmel noted that Trump bragged about “all the wars he’s ending,” as well as referencing what he claimed were low prices—prices that critics say exist only in the President’s imagination. During the same speech, Trump abruptly lashed out at the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois, calling the mayor a “low-IQ person” and the governor a “big fat slob.” Kimmel contrasted the normal cheerfulness of the Thanksgiving event with Trump’s insults, deadpanning, “Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!”
The late-night host continued by pointing out the absurdity of some of Trump’s claims during the press conference. Among them was the President’s assertion that there had been no murders in Washington, D.C. in the past six months due to his leadership. Kimmel highlighted how blatantly false this was, reminding viewers that there had actually been 62 recorded murders in the capital during that time. He commented on the sheer imagination required to believe such a statement. Then he added another layer of humor by questioning whether Trump actually saw himself as a person in any position to comment on others’ appearances. With mock confusion, Kimmel asked whether Trump really looked in the mirror and thought, “I am thin. I am so thin I can comment on others who aren’t.”
From there, Kimmel turned to another story that had been gaining attention: the news that Paramount, now under the ownership of Trump ally Larry Ellison, would distribute a new Rush Hour sequel—Rush Hour 4—after Trump personally requested it. Kimmel joked that Trump loved the Rush Hour films because watching them was the only way he’d ever gotten his son Eric to remain quiet for an hour and a half. The comedian also noted how unusual it was for a sitting president to have such sway in Hollywood decision-making, particularly when the decision involved a franchise many believed to be long dead.
Kimmel reminded viewers that the fourth installment had been stalled for years, largely because director Brett Ratner had been blacklisted in the industry following numerous allegations of sexual misconduct. Ratner, Kimmel said, was suddenly on track to make a theatrical return through a documentary project about Melania Trump. From this connection, Kimmel drew another of his pointed jokes, saying that Melania “really has good instincts about men,” a remark layered with irony given both her marriage and Ratner’s well-documented controversies.
Throughout the monologue, Kimmel’s humor was sharp and relentless, but his commentary was aimed squarely at the consistent chaos surrounding Trump’s public appearances and decision-making. He closed his monologue by mocking those who insist that Trump wastes too much time on trivial matters. Contrary to their complaints, Kimmel joked, Trump’s involvement was evidently producing results—after all, the country was now getting Rush Hour 4. With one last quip, he suggested that the next project on the President’s agenda might be reviving The Cosby Show, underscoring his point about Trump’s bizarre mix of priorities and alliances.
The entire segment was a reflection of Kimmel’s ongoing approach to covering the Trump administration—using comedy to shine a spotlight on behavior he views as absurd, troubling, or out of step with presidential norms. From the turkey pardon ceremony that devolved into personal insults to the unsubstantiated claims about crime rates, Kimmel portrayed Trump as someone who consistently turned even the most ceremonial moments into political theater. And by tying the turkey pardon to the unexpected revival of Rush Hour 4, he highlighted how entangled politics and entertainment had become in the Trump era.
Kimmel’s jokes ultimately framed the turkey pardon as more than just a holiday ritual. It became, in his monologue, a symbol of a presidency that continually blended hyperbole, contradiction, and spectacle. And as he looked forward to the final weeks of the year, his relief suggested a sentiment shared by many viewers—exhaustion from a year filled with political upheaval, controversies, and unexpected twists. In closing, Kimmel seemed to say what many were thinking: if nothing else, at least the year was almost over.
