It is quickly becoming a tradition that celebrity guests that appear on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! have to sing the praises of the eponymous host. On Wednesday, it was actor Ethan Hawke, and on Thursday, it was actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and her dog’s turn to gush over the supposedly “brave and powerful” Kimmel.
Louis-Dreyfus claimed she brought her dog Ethel along in order to make Kimmel feel better after his brief suspension, “And she particularly wanted to come on because she is a huge fan of the First Amendment.”
Kimmel played along, “Oh, is that right? A lot of dogs nowadays really love free speech.”
Continuing to project her politics onto Ethel, Louis-Dreyfus added, “Yeah, they love free speech. They're really into politics and democracy.”
Usually, a celebrity guest on a late night show has a movie or show to promote, but Louis-Dreyfus was on just to promote Kimmel, who asked, “You flew out here just for this, huh?”
After she affirmed she did, Louis-Dreyfus added, “Well, I love you,” and Kimmel returned the favor, “I love you too.”
Louis-Dreyfus then gushed, “I really do. And I think what you have done in this last week has been brave and powerful.”
What has Kimmel done that was so brave? He got himself in trouble for peddling conspiratorial garbage, and for a week, he had to live with the consequences of his own actions. It appears none of the celebrities who have rushed to his side have any interest in what he actually said.
Here is a transcript for the September 25 show:
ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!
9/26/2025
11:55 PM ET
JULIA LOUIS-DREYFUS: And she particularly wanted to come on because she is a huge fan of the First Amendment.
JIMMY KIMMEL: Oh, is that right? A lot of dogs nowadays really love free speech.
LOUIS-DREYFUS: Yeah, they love free speech. They're really into politics and democracy. So—
KIMMEL: You flew out here just for this, huh?
LOUIS-DREYFUS: I did.
KIMMEL: Oh, that's very nice. Very kind of you, really.
LOUIS-DREYFUS: Well, I love you.
KIMMEL: I love you too.
LOUIS-DREYFUS: I really do. And I think what you have done in this last week has been brave and powerful.
KIMMEL: Oh, please, you're embarrassing me in front of Ethel now.
