Jimmy Kimmel hits back at RFK Jr.'s social media post.
Jimmy Kimmel Rips RFK Jr. Over Stephen Colbert Post: ‘Get Back to Spreading Polio’
May 26 2026, Published 2:31 p.m. ET
Jimmy Kimmel responded to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after the Health and Human Services secretary shared a satirical social media post about Stephen Colbert’s final Late Show broadcast, using it to criticize Kimmel’s comedy.
Kimmel reacted on Instagram after Kennedy reposted an essay from a user named Peter Girnus, who calls himself a “cyber populist” and “hacker.” The post was written from the imagined perspective of a CBS late-night executive and criticized the state of political comedy following Colbert’s departure.
Kimmel fires back at RFK Jr. on social media.
Kennedy praised the post and claimed it provided a “superb dissection of the shocking collapse of liberal comedy.” He then mentioned what he called the “nadir” of late night, referencing a line attributed to Kimmel: “It’s not my job to be funny.”
Kimmel jumped on the misspelling and the assertion.
“It’s ‘nadir’ dummy. Now get back to spreading polio,” Kimmel wrote over a screenshot of Kennedy’s post on Instagram, according to Entertainment Weekly.
This remark referenced Kennedy’s long history of skepticism about vaccines, making him a frequent target for Kimmel and other late-night hosts. Kennedy, who now leads the Department of Health and Human Services, has faced ongoing criticism from public health advocates and entertainers for his past comments on vaccines.
Kennedy’s post also misquoted Kimmel. Entertainment Weekly reported that Kimmel did not say, “It’s not my job to be funny.” That line appeared to come from a satirical article published by The Babylon Bee last month, with HuffPost tracing the quote back to the conservative parody site.
RFK Jr. criticizes Jimmy Kimmel and late night comedians.
Kimmel discussed comedy and politics during an April appearance on Michelle Obama’s podcast, IMO. He expressed that he enjoys making people laugh but believes his job also includes addressing what people are facing in their lives.
“I love telling jokes, I love being funny, I love when the audience laughs. There’s nothing that’s more exciting to me than that,” Kimmel said. “I’ve always said, since the very beginning, even when I was on the radio, [my job] is to talk about what is going on in people’s lives.”
Kimmel also dismissed criticism from those who argue that late-night hosts should steer clear of politics.
“Don’t tell me what my job is. I don’t tell you what your job is,” Kimmel said. “My job is whatever I decide my job is, or whatever my employer allows me to do. That’s what my job is.”
This exchange occurred just days after Colbert wrapped up his 11-year run as host of The Late Show.
His last broadcast aired Thursday and marked a farewell week featuring appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Steven Spielberg, Jon Stewart, John Oliver, and Kimmel. Paul McCartney was Colbert’s final guest.
CBS has replaced The Late Show in its schedule with Comics Unleashed With Byron Allen.
Kimmel has been one of Colbert’s strongest supporters since CBS announced the end of the franchise. His recent conflict with Kennedy added another political point of contention following Colbert’s exit, a topic that continues to be significant in late-night television and social media.