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Jimmy Kimmel had barely settled back behind his late-night desk when another episode started attracting attention for reasons beyond its celebrity interviews. Gal Gadot’s appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live! prompted criticism from some social media users, including calls to boycott the show. Online complaints about celebrity bookings aren’t unusual, but the timing stands out. For Kimmel, it arrives after a year in which controversies surrounding his jokes, his show and even his future at ABC have repeatedly made headlines.
Gadot Was Part Of Kimmel’s Comeback Week
The appearance itself wasn’t an unexpected addition. ABC announced Gadot alongside Andrew Garfield, Joey King, Mariska Hargitay and Kaia Gerber as part of Kimmel’s first week back from his summer break. Gadot appeared September 10 to promote her thriller The Runner, with chef David Chang and musical guest MUNA also booked that night.
The Interview Itself Stayed Mostly Light
Anyone expecting a confrontational interview wouldn’t have found one. Gadot talked about raising four daughters, meeting Madonna, her goal of walking 100,000 steps each week and her latest movie. She also discussed Rosh Hashanah and brought shofars onto the set for herself and Kimmel to play.
Some Viewers Objected To The Booking
After the appearance, some social media users criticized Kimmel for inviting Gadot onto the program, with a few saying they would stop watching or calling for a boycott. The objections were tied to Gadot’s previously expressed views on the Israel-Gaza conflict, a subject that has made some of her public appearances contentious. But the discussion wasn’t limited to viewers.
The Episode Drew Another Unexpected Reaction
MUNA, the musical guest appearing on the same episode, later said the band hadn’t known Gadot would also be part of that night’s lineup and publicly expressed disagreement with her views. That gave the episode another burst of attention beyond the interview itself. ABC confirms both Gadot and MUNA appeared on the September 10 episode. The timing helps explain why this relatively contained backlash became noteworthy.
Kimmel Had Only Just Returned
Kimmel resumed hosting September 8 after beginning his regular summer break in June, continuing an arrangement that has seen him take summers off since 2020. Guest hosts filled in during his absence, while Kimmel remained on television through Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. His September return should have represented a routine reset for Jimmy Kimmel Live!. Instead, the show quickly found itself navigating another uncomfortable round of attention.
His Show Has Already Weathered Bigger Controversies
The Gadot criticism is considerably smaller than some of the disputes Kimmel has faced recently. His program was temporarily pulled from the air in 2025 following controversy over remarks connected to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, and two major ABC affiliate groups stopped carrying the show temporarily. Kimmel subsequently returned. That episode raised stakes well beyond angry social media comments because decisions by ABC, Disney and local broadcasters became part of the story.
Another Joke Brought Scrutiny Earlier This Year
Kimmel faced another round of criticism in May after making an “expectant widow” joke about First Lady Melania Trump. President Donald Trump and the first lady called for ABC to fire him, while Kimmel responded that the joke concerned the couple’s age difference and rejected interpretations that it encouraged violence. The specifics were different from the reaction surrounding Gadot’s appearance, but the result was familiar: attention shifted away from the entertainment on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and toward another debate surrounding its host.
Questions About Kimmel’s Future Added To The Noise
Meanwhile, speculation about Kimmel’s long-running relationship with ABC has provided another storyline. One report claimed his contract wouldn’t extend beyond 2027, but ABC Entertainment disputed that account and described reports about the show’s future as “purely speculative.” Kimmel has hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! since 2003, so questions about when that run might end naturally attract attention. For now, though, ABC continues to air the program with its regular stream of celebrity guests.
What Happens After The Headlines Matters More
Nothing about the latest criticism, on its own, establishes that Kimmel’s show is facing a broader audience problem. What it does show is how difficult it has become for Jimmy Kimmel Live! to escape the spotlight surrounding its host. ABC continued airing new episodes throughout September, including appearances by Stephen Colbert, Bill Burr, Jamie Foxx and Ben Affleck. The more meaningful question now is whether the program settles back into ordinary late-night television or whether Kimmel’s unusually eventful year keeps following him into the next round of headlines.