Jimmy Kimmel Laughs at Trump for Falling Asleep at NBA Finals

Jimmy Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel Live! YouTube

What To Know

  • Jimmy Kimmel mocked Donald Trump for being booed and appearing to fall asleep during Game 3 of the NBA Finals.
  • Kimmel joked about the failed attempt to avoid boos by showing the president on screen during the national anthem.
  • The late-night host said he hoped former President Joe Biden was watching and laughing.

Jimmy Kimmel poked fun at Donald Trump on Tuesday night (June 9) after the president was booed and then fell asleep during Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday (June 8).

“Donald Trump last night made history, he became the first sitting president to shut down a major United States city so he could take a nap in front of a sold-out crowd at the NBA finals,” the late-night host said at the top of Tuesday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Kimmel said, “This was a bad idea to start with,” and “went as badly as it could possibly go for Trump.” He then showed clips of New York Knicks fans waiting in line while protesting the president, including signs that said “F*** Trump.” Kimmel joked, “You know people are mad when they resort to arts and crafts.”

“Of course, the question on everyone’s mind was, ‘Would the president get booed in the Garden?'” the comedian continued. “The team didn’t want this, so they were smart. They tried something clever. They showed him on the Jumbotron during the national anthem when it’s frowned upon to boo.”

As Kimmel noted, this strategy didn’t work at all. The crowd showered Trump with a chorus of boos when he was shown on the big screen. “In his mind, he thinks he’s on stage at a Springsteen concert, and they think he’s Bruce. They’re saying Bruce,” Kimmel quipped.

“They say that was the loudest the president has been booed at a sporting event since Abe Lincoln flipped the coin at the Cotton Bowl,” he added.

After showing clips of Trump filling his face with pizza and French fries, Kimmel said, “Then it was nap time.” He cut to a clip of the president seemingly asleep during the Knicks versus Spurs game. “There’s Dozes Malone, who spent who knows how many millions of taxpayer dollars to get there, and he goes out like a light.”

“Who can fall asleep during the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden?!” Kimmel asked. “Do you know how out of it you have to be? I hope Joe Biden was watching this and laughing his ass off last night.”

You can watch Kimmel’s full opening monologue in the video above and let us know your thoughts below.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Weeknights, 11:35/10:35c, ABC




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  1. J

    Jena

    I have to ask, who wears a suit and tie to an NBA game?? He wears a suit EVERYWHERE. So out of touch. But then, maybe he needs to wear a suit jacket to cover... everything. I've seen him in a golf shirt, and that's not a pretty sight.

    1. A

      Aguest

      He’s the POTUS. You’re the CLASSLESS.

  2. M

    MuTru

    Hey, this may blow your mind: a sane person can dislike Platner and Trump at the same time, and for vastly different reasons. One person's flaws do not excuse another person's dangerous, criminal idiocy. If Platner gets in office, he can do virtually no harm. Trump is destroying not just the US, but every other country that relies on petroleum and fertilizer (i.e. all of them).

    1. A

      Aguest

      PLATNER

  3. G

    Green Olive

    Too funny!!

    1. A

      Aguest

      Nah not so much.

  4. M

    Mark

    Never a good image when POTUS falls asleep in a public setting as Trump/Biden does/did a lot, but it is just a basketball game - kind of hard not to snooze through that!

  5. A

    Acitizen

    So, you're saying you don't like people who are alleged to have mistreated women? Is it possible that you also object them being elected to public office?? Hmm, that's interesting.....And I bet you have even stronger feelings about people who are cheats and grifters.

    1. A

      Aguest

      PLATNER

  6. A

    Antonio Montealegre

    Hah, I bet you're still bitter Spencer Pratt is no longer a mayoral candidate of Los Angeles! Just be glad Kimmel can no longer make fun of him (unless Pratt does something stupid like claiming the election was rigged...)

    1. A

      Aguest

      PLATNER