In a delicious plot twist, it was the turn of celebrated comedian and political satirist Jon Stewart to become the surprise guest in the Kimmels’ daily carpool ride to school. The second installment of a series of segments that originally ran a few months back on Jimmy Kimmel Live! showed the host’s own children—Billy, 7, and Jane, 9—giggling in confusion at the premises.
That all changed on Saturday when Stewart lent his comic might to the Netflix Is a Joke festival in Los Angeles and, while in town, decided to further get in on the fight by sneaking into the Kimmel family car for a little surprise.
As Stewart got into the center seat, squeezed in there between Kimmel’s wife, Molly McNearney, and their kids, there was a sense of tension in the car at first. But the pro comedian quickly attempted to change the atmosphere, engaging the kids in song; Billy, for his part, looked over at Stewart as if to size him up and figure out how to escape.
In a candid chat, Stewart inquired if the kids were as excited to see him as when they had driven pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo, also a Kimmel kids’ favorite. Being Jane, Jane said they were, leaving Stewart beaming and declaring that she was the “nicest person” he had ever met.
Things turned a little weird in the middle of the random pile episode when Stewart’s growling stomach compelled him to say he hated Arby’s, which he referred to as the “diarrhea factory.” Kimmel commented, that Arby’s had provided the food for his 30th birthday party, with Stewart commenting chagrined.
And then, as it went on, Stewart requested one of Rodrigo’s songs to be played and thus began a carpool karaoke show, fit for the next recording—cringy or hilarious if you are into that sort of thing. Of course, Stewart left much to be desired in the vocal dexterity department, but thankfully, Kimmel kicked him out of the car as soon as they reached their destination.
Despite his humiliation, that same evening, Stewart was invited to be at the taping of Jimmy Kimmel Live! He arrived with a bag of roast beef – bought at, of all places, the Arby’s restaurant he had branded disgusting.
The impromptu carpool adventure highlighted the spontaneity that is uniquely Stewart’s and the evergreen relationship between two late-night television titans. As Stewart gets ready to return to his hosting duties on The Daily Show come Thursday, this comical interlude reminds us of the power of laughter in bringing people together, even when the circumstances seem most unlikely.
The latest figures reported by Statista show that in most recent prime time hours, over 4.9 million viewers were reportedly available each day to watch late-night talk shows [“Average Prime Time Audience for Late Night Talk Shows in the United States”, Statista, March 2023]. With such audience share, there is a sense of community built and a bond created with the viewer by having such light moments.
Sarmad Khan is an experienced writer and dedicated educator with a thorough knowledge of human communication and relationships. With a background in psychology, Sarmad digs into the complexities of love and connection, providing significant insights to readers seeking heartfelt counsel. Sarmad’s fascinating anecdotes and considerable expertise seek to encourage folks to manage their love journey confidently.