As the partial government shutdown wears on, Jimmy Kimmel is lending a hand to those who need it most.
On Monday’s Jimmy Kimmel Live broadcast, the late-night host revealed that he will hire federal employees to work at his show “tonight and every night until the shutdown is over.”
In the wake of the shutdown — which began on Dec. 22, after legislators could not come to a decision on funding for President Trump’s border wall — nearly 800,000 federal employees are working without pay, and it’s unclear if any of them will receive backpay upon the shutdown’s end.
“That is Donald Trump doing what Donald Trump does best: not paying the people who work for him,” Kimmel remarked. “That is where he shines… It’s unfortunate that these workers, who have nothing to do with this ridiculous wall, aren’t getting paychecks, especially right after the holidays.”
The host then introduced John Kostelnik, a guard at the United States Penitentiary in Victorville, Calif. After admitting that he “absolutely” objects to being used as a pawn in Trump’s border wall negotiations, Kostelnik scored a spot in Kimmel’s house band as the new tambourine player.
“Have fun with it! Really go wild,” Kimmel teased. “The guys like it.”
Press PLAY on the video above to see Kimmel’s segment in full, then drop a comment below with your thoughts.
