Jimmy Kimmel Reside! returned on Monday evening (January 13) after the Los Angeles wildfires shut down the late-night discuss present final week, and the host paid an emotional tribute to the firefighters and California residents.
“As , it has been a really scary, very nerve-racking, very unusual week right here in LA – the place we work, the place we stay, the place our children go to highschool,” Kimmel started, holding again tears. He then threw to video footage of the fires, exhibiting how shut one blaze was to the studio the place the present is filmed.
“Many people needed to depart our properties in a rush. A few of our co-workers misplaced their properties… It’s been horrible,” he continued. “Everybody who lives on this metropolis is aware of somebody, most of us, a number of individuals, households, associates, colleagues, neighbors, whose homes burned down. And the reality is, we don’t even know if it’s over.”
Kimmel added, “We had 100 mile per hour winds fueling this nightmare. As of tonight, the winds are again. I believe I communicate for all of us after I say it has been a sickening, surprising, terrible expertise.”
Nevertheless, the late-night host famous it has additionally been “a gorgeous expertise as a result of as soon as once more, we see our fellow women and men coming collectively to assist one another. Individuals who misplaced their very own properties have been out volunteering to assist others.”
Earlier than thanking those that braved the fires to assist others, Kimmel briefly addressed feedback made by President-elect Donald Trump and different Republicans.
“I don’t need to get into all of the vile and irresponsible and silly issues our alleged future President and his gaggle of scumbags selected to say throughout our darkest and most terrifying hour,” he acknowledged. “The truth that they selected to assault our firefighters, who apparently aren’t white sufficient to be on the market, risking their lives on our behalf, is disgusting. Nevertheless it’s not stunning.”
As an alternative, Kimmel praised these serving to within the catastrophe, saying, “Our firefighters from LA have been the primary on the scene with out hesitation. They have been on the market, placing out the fires as finest they might. After which we had firefighters from different states coming in from Nevada, from Arizona, Texas, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Washington, Northern California, New Mexico, Idaho, Maine. We’ve got firemen and ladies from Mexico, from Canada, and we’re very grateful to them.”
“And to our police, our Nationwide Guard, our rescue staff, medical doctors, the nurses, EMTs, the pilots working 12-hour shifts… thank God for all of you,” he added. “And if you wish to thank these courageous people with a donation, it is a superb place to start out: Help LAFD.org.”
Lastly, he stated, “And I additionally need to thank our native information reporters, who reminded us how necessary native tv and radio and newspapers are.”
Earlier within the day, Kimmel and his Jimmy Kimmel Reside! co-workers reworked the studio’s parking zone right into a donation level, which continues by way of Friday.
You may watch Kimmel’s full opening monologue within the video above.
Jimmy Kimmel Reside!, Weeknights, 11:35pm ET/PT, ABC