Jimmy Kimmel Live! is facing renewed criticism after guest host Ike Barinholtz joked about the death of Sen. Lindsey Graham just two days after the South Carolina Republican unexpectedly passed away.
Barinholtz, who was filling in while Jimmy Kimmel takes his annual summer break, used Graham’s death and Sen. Mitch McConnell’s recent health problems as material during Monday night’s opening monologue.
Ike Barinholtz – Jimmy Kimmel Live, YouTube
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“What a crazy weekend,” Barinholtz said. “Mitch McConnell is alive, Lindsey Graham is dead.”
He then joked that the current news cycle offered “so many opportunities” for ABC to pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air again.
Late-Night Comedy Targets a Senator’s Death
The comments followed a series of crude jokes about McConnell’s health. Although the guest host offered the Kentucky senator his well-wishes, he paired them with a sarcastic attack on McConnell’s healthcare record.
The monologue once again raised questions about the increasingly bitter tone of late-night comedy, particularly when political opponents become seriously ill or die. Anyone tuning in to Jimmy Kimmel Live! may have noticed that while the host was different, the jokes about death remained the same.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! Returns to Familiar Territory
Barinholtz’s remark about Jimmy Kimmel Live! being removed from the air referred to ABC’s temporary suspension of the program following Kimmel’s controversial response to the assassination of Charlie Kirk in September 2025. During his monologue, Kimmel shared what many argued was dangerously false information about the alleged shooter.
Jimmy Kimmel in his UK Christmas Address – UK Channel 4
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The comedian also mocked the way President Donald Trump mourned Kirk’s death.
“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of somebody he [Trump] called a friend,” he said. “This is how a 4-year-old mourns a gold fish, okay?”
On Monday evening, Barinholtz followed the same formula. The Jimmy Kimmel Live! guest host seized on memories the president shared about playing golf with Lindsey Graham, using them as the setup for another punchline.
Imitating Trump’s distinct style of speaking, Barinholtz said, “He will be missed just like he missed the fairway and the fourth T at Mara Lago. Horrible, horrible news.” As the applause died down, Barinholtz remarked, “He’s horrible.”
Kimmel’s History of Dark Humor
More recently, Jimmy Kimmel Live! sparked another controversy after Kimmel described First Lady Melania Trump as having the “glow of an expectant widow.” The remark came shortly before another alleged assassination attempt against the president.
Donald Trump speaks at a rally the night before being inaugurated as the 47th President of the United States of America – YouTube, Washington Post
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When Melania Trump called for Kimmel’s firing, the comedian refused to apologize and defended the line as a joke about the couple’s age difference. Many critics expressed doubt about his original intent. Regardless, it reinforced Kimmel’s image as someone willing to joke about harm—or worse—befalling those who differ from him politically in order to generate applause.
Provocative Humor Becomes Part of the Brand
Although Kimmel was not hosting Monday’s episode, Barinholtz’s monologue suggests that the program has no intention of moving away from the provocative political humor that has generated backlash from viewers, advertisers, affiliates, and federal officials. Whether or not Disney leadership publicly responds to this latest incident remains to be seen.
Coming only days after Graham’s unexpected death, the jokes may leave viewers wondering whether late-night television has abandoned even the brief period of restraint traditionally shown after a public figure passes away. On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, it increasingly appears to be part of the brand.
What did you think of Barinholtz’s monolog? Sound off and let us know!
