Jimmy Kimmel threw audiences for a loop during Tuesday night’s monologue when he expressed rare agreement with one of his favorite targets. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host said he was siding with a prominent Republican over the latest government shutdown debate in a moment that even shocked Kimmel himself.
In discussing Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene’s recent support for extending health insurance tax credits, Kimmel acknowledged that her position made sense, even if saying so didn’t come easily. “I know this sounds crazy,” Kimmel said during his opening monologue, “but I will say it for the second time in a month: Marjorie Taylor Greene is right.”
The late-night host quickly followed up with a self-deprecating joke in response to the crowd's reaction. “I know,” he added. “I need something to wash out my mouth.”
It is certainly unusual it for Kimmel to find common ground with any Republican, let alone Greene. The Georgia congresswoman has long been one of Kimmel’s go-to punchlines, with the host regularly mocking her outspoken support for former President Donald Trump and her promotion of conspiracy theories surrounding everything from election fraud to wildfires.
Tuesday's comment wasn’t the first time the late-night host has reluctantly taken Greene’s side. In early September, Kimmel made headlines for a similar moment of unexpected praise when Greene called for Trump to meet with the victims of Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafficking network.
“I can’t believe I’m saying this,” Kimmel said at the time, “but good going, Marjorie Taylor Greene.”
In fact, Kimmel is on a bit of a streaking when it comes to sharing the same opinions as Republicans. Several well-known conservatives spoke out against ABC's decision to suspend Kimmel last month over his comments regarding Charlie Kirk's murder.
Senator Ted Cruz, Ben Shapiro, and Candace Owens were just some of the names that broke ranks with most conservatives in defending Kimmel's right to stay on the air. The late-night host made a point to thank them during his return to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, signaling a temporary truce between Kimmel and some of his favorite punching bags.
How long Marjorie Taylor Greene stays on Kimmel's good side remains to be seen. While the two agree on the issue of health insurance, they don't share much common ground on practically every other issue. It feels like only a matter of time before Greene says something else that lands her back in Kimmel's monologue, but without the comedian singing her praises.
Watch Jimmy Kimmel Live! nightly on ABC.