Fox News host Brian Kilmeade has responded to Jimmy Kimmel calling him a “phony little creep” who longs to join the “Hollywood elite,” saying he’s very happy with his job at Fox.
On Wednesday night’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Kimmel attacked the Cassidy-Graham healthcare bill and tore into Kilmeade for criticizing his past denunciations of the bill. Kimmel said the “Fox & Friends” host rails against the “Hollywood elite,” but longs to join them.
“He’s such a fan… he follows me on Twitter. He asked me to write a blurb for his book, which I did. He calls my agent looking for projects. He’s dying to be a member of the Hollywood elite.”
Kilmeade responded on his radio show Thursday, saying he was “obviously very emotional” about the issue.
He pushed back on Kimmel’s claim that he “kisses [Kimmel’s] ass like… a little boy meeting Batman,” saying that he has no desire to leave Fox News.
“Why would I ever leave the number one network in all of cable, not only news,” he said. “And the number one morning show in the country … to go out to Los Angeles and do entertainment? I mean, what point is that? ‘No one will hire him’? It’s not even based in fact!”
He also objected to Kimmel calling him a “little man.”
“I’m 5’10, 174,” he said. “I’m sorry that’s not good enough for you. But I just think if you look at average chart of a male in America, I think I’m pretty much on target.”
“Why don’t you call Cassidy and yell at him?” Kilmeade said. “I’m not telling you to be a journalist, but why don’t you be thoroughly informed about a program before you say how bad it is and call a guy who spends his free time operating on people for free as a surgeon … You basically called him a liar without ever talking to him.”
Kimmel has welcomed Cassidy, a doctor, to his show, but contends that Cassidy lied to his face. Kimmel says Cassidy broke a promise that any legislation would pass the “Jimmy Kimmel test.” Kimmel has pleaded for a bill that would not allow discrimination against people with preexisting conditions and would protect affordable healthcare.
Kilmeade also addressed Kimmel on “Fox & Friends.”
“Hope your son gets better,” he said. “I hope your son gets all the care he needs.”
“I’m glad you’re interested,” Kilmeade said. “You’re doing a great job bringing the dialogue out, but you should actually do what we’re doing — talk to the people who wrote it.”