In a special pre-Thanksgiving episode, Jimmy Kimmel delivered a scathing monologue expressing his gratitude that 2023 has only five weeks remaining. The late-night host used his platform to dissect the annual presidential turkey pardon, an event that took a characteristically bizarre turn under Donald Trump.
A Presidential Tradition Gone Awry
Kimmel set the scene at the White House, noting the freshly paved over Rose Garden where the president presided over the pardon of two turkeys named Gobble and Waddle. "Which at this point are the only thing that Trump hasn't pardoned this year," Kimmel quipped, adding that the names reflect "what Trump does every night at dinner."
While most presidents keep the ceremony light-hearted, Kimmel highlighted how Trump diverted from tradition. "Donald Trump used the opportunity to brag about all the wars he's ending, how low his imaginary prices are now," the host reported. The address took a particularly confrontational turn when Trump unexpectedly attacked the mayor of Chicago and the governor of Illinois, labelling them a "low-IQ person" and a "big fat slob" respectively.
Kimmel deadpanned: "Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!" before addressing Trump's claim that there had been no murders in Washington DC in the previous six months because of him. Kimmel countered this assertion with the factual record: 62 murders have occurred in Washington since Trump took office.
From Turkey Pardons to Movie Revivals
The comedy segment took another unexpected turn when Kimmel addressed the news that Paramount, now owned by Trump's friend Larry Ellison, will distribute a new Rush Hour movie at the president's request. "He likes the Rush Hour movies because that was the last time he got Eric to be quiet for 90 minutes," Kimmel joked.
The revival of Rush Hour 4 marks a surprising development given director Bret Ratner's blacklisting in Hollywood over sexual misconduct allegations. Kimmel noted Ratner's "theatrical comeback, of sorts" through a documentary on Melania Trump, adding: "One thing about Melania – she has really good instincts about men."
Kimmel concluded this segment with trademark sarcasm: "So for anyone who says that Trump wastes a lot of time on nothing, wrong! We're getting a Rush Hour 4. And next up, The Cosby Show."
Seth Meyers' Take on the Unusual Ceremony
Meanwhile, on Late Night, Seth Meyers also tackled the strange proceedings of the turkey pardon. "No matter who the president is, this is a weird tradition," Meyers noted. "But, as weird as it is, Trump can always make it weirder."
Meyers played a montage of clips showing Trump's rambling address, which included claims that last year's turkey pardons were invalid and digressions about "gang members" and "murders". Meyers joked that the turkeys themselves were probably thinking: "Just fucking kill us. Put us out of our misery."
The strangeness escalated when Trump announced that Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr had deemed Gobble and Waddle the first "Maha" (Make America Healthy Again) turkeys, raised on a diet of grass and beef smoothies. "It definitely sounds like you still plan on eating them," Meyers quipped, imitating Trump: "We've fattened them up for this pardon. And then, of course, the next step, we will baste them for justice."
Both hosts demonstrated how a traditionally apolitical Thanksgiving event became another platform for presidential controversy and comedy gold, highlighting the ongoing intersection of politics and entertainment in the Trump era.
