With its regular host being on vacation,Jimmy Kimmel Live!has started its summer rotation of guest hosts, and this week’s host Diego Luna slammed Trump and championed immigrants in his debut monologue.Jimmy Kimmel, who has hinted he might be retiring, is off for the summer on an extended break. In the interim, just as the show has done since 2020,Jimmy Kimmel Live!has lined up an array of guest hoststo fill in as host while he’s gone. Each one will sit behind the desk for a week, bringing their own interests and flavor to the interview and, more importantly, the monologue.
Diego Luna kicked things off as the first host, and he made a mark in his first monologue as host on Monday night. “With everything going on in this country around immigration and authoritarian policies of Donald Trump, it is no small thing that a Mexican is hosting such an important show,” he said, before lightening the tone a bit by chasing that with, “It’s a big deal, and I really hope not to f*ck it up.” While he sprinkled his monologue with self-deprecating humor, it was largely an homage to the immigrant population he had met in Los Angeles and a love letter to those who have moved to America hoping to chase the dream. See his entire monologue below:
What This Means For Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s Summer Lineup
His Guests Won’t Be Muzzled
It’s not as though late-night talk show hosts have hidden their disdain for Trump or pulled their punches when it comes to their jokes, but Jimmy Kimmel has been exceptionally outspoken in his criticism. With the host going on an extended vacation for the summer, he’s once again lined up a celebrity slate to fill in as guest host, with the names on the list being quite exciting. It’s an interesting mix of returning guests hosts and hosts making their debut, actors, comedians, Broadway stars, and even one musician:
Kimmel has always been one of the more daring late-night hosts in terms of what he’s willing to experiment with, and it’s pretty clear that that philosophy extends to his guest host lineup. Kimmel has never filtered himself or his political views, and it would appear that he and his producers have given the guests the go-ahead to be just as political, provided they’re comfortable with it. With Diego Luna kicking things off, it could be a sign of a very interesting off-season for the late-night show.
Our Take On Diego Luna’s Jimmy Kimmel Monologue
It’s Impossible To Expect Late-Night Hosts To Avoid Talking Politics In 2025
Truthfully, Luna’s monologue is hardly surprising. As a Mexican immigrant himself, and one who just starred inAndor, Star Wars' blistering indictment of fascism, he’ll undoubtedly have thoughts on the immigration raids. It’s not just Luna, however. Considering current events and the political climate in America right now, it’s unsurprising that late-night hosts and any celebrity guest hosts would want to weigh in on things. Late-night talk shows are meant to be topical, and with so much happening right now, both in the world and in the U.S., it’s impossible to avoid addressing it. As Luna’s monologue showed, as long as there are concerning headlines in the news, theJimmy Kimmel Live!hosts won’t shy away from incorporating them into the show.
