Jimmy Kimmel joked about Rudy Giuliani days before the former New York City mayor was hospitalized.
“So last night, America’s mayor, Rudy Giuliani, rose from the grave to weigh in on the ongoing drama involving me,” Kimmel, 58, said during the April 28 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, according to a resurfaced clip.
Kimmel was referring to his ongoing feud with President Donald Trump after calling his wife, Melania Trump, an “expectant widow” before a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last month.
Giuliani, 81, referred to Kimmel as “one of the most distasteful human beings in this country” during the April 27 episode of his podcast.
“This is supposed to be a comedian,” Giuliani continued. “He’s also like an incompetent jackass.”
He added, “Kimmel was making believe that he was hosting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which I think he did once, I don’t know. Probably once … and about four people probably watched it, and he bombed like usual.”
Kimmel continued to poke fun at Giuliani during the resurfaced monologue.
“I have to say, it’s confusing to be called an incompetent jackass by a man who accidentally held a press conference outside a dildo store,” Kimmel said. “Who doesn’t seem to have any understanding of when videos are running and when they aren’t, and has a gallon of squid ink dribbling off the top of his head.”
Kimmel added, “Does this man have any family members who can come get him already?”
The video went viral after news broke on Sunday, May 3, that Giuliani had been hospitalized in “critical condition” in Florida.
“Mayor Giuliani is a fighter who has faced every challenge in his life with unwavering strength, and he’s fighting with that same level of strength as we speak,” his spokesperson, Ted Goodman, told multiple outlets on Sunday, asking people to “join us in prayer” amid the former mayor’s health setback.
Fox News also reported on Sunday that Giuliani is “stable” despite being in critical condition. (Details about his illness have not yet been confirmed.)
Giuliani was the mayor of New York City from 1994 to 2001. His two tenures have become rooted in history as a success, as there was a significant reduction in crime during his time in office. Giuliani became known as “America’s Mayor” as he helped NYC — and the country — rebuild following the September 11, 2001, attacks on the World Trade Center.
The former lawyer was disbarred in 2024 for repeatedly lying about voter fraud in the 2020 election, which his longtime friend Trump, 79, lost.
