Elon Musk's pivot to politics hasn't been good for Tesla's bottom line. And as the tech CEO plans to course correct, Jimmy Kimmel has a pretty simple explanation for why things went south so quickly.
Musk has found himself a frequent topic of conversation on Jimmy Kimmel Live! over the past few years. Kimmel's punchlines at Musk's expense have even earned a response from Musk, a far cry from the days when he frequently visited late-night TV as a popular guest.
Now, Musk is deep in the MAGAverse with DOGE. His political career has led to increased backlash that tanked not only his popularity, but his net worth. Tesla stocks are down big, and Musk reportedly wants to pull back on on politics to focus on the company.
Jimmy Kimmel didn't sound surprised to hear Tesla's stock is down 71% over the past three months. The late-night host joked that's what happens when your CEO turns into "white Kanye."
The comedian continued by offering an explanation for why Musk's departure from Washington won't help Tesla. "The reason Tesla is tanking is because people hate him and they don't want to buy his stuff" Kimmel argued.
Jimmy Kimmel doesn't see things improving for Elon Musk and Tesla
Kimmel can't see anything changing if Musk gets more involved in the electric vehicle company. The only solution? According to Kimmel, Musk needs to sell Tesla to someone more popular. A couple of infectious diseases came to mind when Kimmel brainstormed some options.
Musk stepping back from D.C. is a double-edged sword for Kimmel. On the one hand, Kimmel despies what Musk stands for and wants him nowhere near public policy. At the same time, Musk's antics have been comedy gold for the late-night TV host.
If it was up to Kimmel, he'd probably gladly see Musk pack his bags and never return to the White House. But no matter where he goes, Musk won't be leaving Kimmel's radar anytime soon.