Jimmy Kimmel Returns To Late Night, Discusses Response To Health Care Monologue

A week after Jimmy Kimmel gave an emotional opening monologue about his new born’s son frightening birth, the host has returned to full-time TV duty. On his first night back, Kimmel revisited his plea to American lawmakers to make sure that health care is accessible and affordable for all.

“As a result of my powerful words on that night, Republicans in Congress had second thoughts about ‘repeal and replace,’ they realized what is right is right, and I saved health insurance in the United States of America,” Kimmel opened to a loud round of applause.

“What’s that? I didn’t save it? They voted against it anyway?”

Last week, Republicans in the House narrowly passed the American Health Care Act, or Trumpcare, despite disapproval from nearly all stakeholders including doctors groups, patient groups, insurance groups, and now, Kimmel.

Kimmel’s son, William ‘Billy’ Kimmel, was born with a congenital heart defeat that required surgery hours after his birth. He will need several more surgeries through out his life and a litany of doctors appointments. He is now doing “very well.”

Last week, Kimmel recounted how expensive and illness like his son’s can get and how every child should be able to receive treatment, even those who don’t have a TV host for a father.

On Monday night, Kimmel discussed some of the backlash he received after getting political a week ago. The host showed a clip of Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich chastising late night comedians for ruining humor in America today. Gingrich said that comedians are too angry at Donald Trump to tell a good joke.

Kimmel responded by mentioning that real humor is when the Speaker of the House calls for an investigation into a President’s affair while the Speaker himself is having an affair – this is exactly what happened when Gingrich impeached President Bill Clinton in 1998.

To everyone else who took issue with his monologue, Kimmel sarcastically remarked, “I would like to apologize for saying that children in America should have health care. It was insensitive. It was offensive. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.”

The Jimmy Kimmel Live then invited on Republican Senator Bill Cassidy to discuss the ‘Jimmy Kimmel Test’ – a phrase Cassidy introduced into the lexicon last week.

Cassidy said that the test is a measure of whether or not all children have access to affordable health care and Kimmel asked if that same test could be expanded to apply to all Americans, not just children. While Cassidy broke from his Republican counterparts on several points, he believes, as the majority of them do, that health care is not a right and that the government should not be responsible for footing the bill – even if it means life or death.

Watch Kimmel’s monologue and discussion with Cassidy below.