Two of Disney’s biggest properties are now at war on social media, as Jimmy Kimmel, the host of ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is going after New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers — a paid guest on ESPN’s Pat McAfee Show — after the QB insinuated the late-night host’s name would be on the soon-to-be-released flight manifests to accused sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein’s island.
Kimmel and Rodgers have butted heads before, as the host has made fun of the QB’s stance on UFOs and COVID-19 vaccinations on his show. But this time, Rodgers may have gone too far, with Kimmel threatening legal action after the incident. Shortly after it happened, ESPN refused to comment on what its next steps (if any) would be.
“An ESPN spokesperson has declined comment when @FOS asked if the network is examining Aaron Rodgers' future on PMS,” Front Office Sports’ A.J. Perez reported on Tuesday after the incident.
In 2023, ESPN — a subsidiary of Disney — signed Pat McAfee to an $85 million contract to bring his wildly popular Pat McAfee Show to ESPN’s airwaves. Kimmel, who has hosted ABC’s late-night talk show since 2003. In 2022, he signed a three-year contract extension with the network for a reported $15 million per year, according to Marca.
Rodgers reportedly makes around $1 million per year to appear weekly on the Pat McAfee Show.
The Aaron Rodgers-Jimmy Kimmel-Jeffrey Epstein incident
During his regular “Aaron Rodgers Tuesday” Pat McAfee Show guest spot on ESPN, the host brought up the soon-to-be unsealed names from a civil case against Jeffrey Epstein.
“That’s supposed to be coming out soon. There’s a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, are really hoping that doesn’t come out,” the Jets QB said.
This guy @AaronRodgers12 has been waiting in his wine cellar for this 😂😂 #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/PUX3gWFC9R
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) January 2, 2024
This quip seemed to set Kimmel off, who responded on Twitter with name-calling and threats of legal action.
“Dear Aa**hole: for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any “list” other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality. Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court. @AaronRodgers12,” Kimmel tweeted.
Rodgers, who hasn’t played football for the Jets since injuring his Achilles in Week 1, is assumedly scheduled to appear on the Pat McAfee Show next Tuesday, Jan. 9, unless Disney or ESPN take some kind of action before then.
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