Kimmel Cheers Talarico Overcoming 'Exceptionally Vile Lying'

Alex Christy
November 10th, 2026 10:04 AM

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ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel was still gloating at Democrats’ midterm election victories on his Monday show as he praised Sen.-elect James Talarico for overcoming Republicans’ “exceptionally vile lying” and took the time to renew his feud with Sen. Ted Cruz by calling him “ugly.” Meanwhile, over at Comedy Central, The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart and MS NOW’s Rachel Maddow gushed over the “exhilaration” that Tuesday provided.

Kimmel introduced a clip of Cruz by declaring, “I have to admit, you know I don’t — I’m really enjoying watching these guys lick their wounds after all the exceptionally vile lying. Republicans in Texas did their best to depict James Talarico as gay, vegan, or vaygan, whichever one Trump — faux-religious conman. Unfortunately for them, the voters didn't buy it, and now poor Ted Cruz is sad and all alone.”

 

 

The clip showed Cruz recalling that in “the last two days in Texas, as I’ve traveled the state, I've just encountered people who are grieving. They’re in shock,” and “I went to Best Buy this afternoon. I walked in, and three people there were almost in tears, expressing shock.”

Kimmel retorted, “That’s not because they're upset about the election. That's because you're ugly.”

On The Daily Show, Stewart began his nearly 25-minute interview with Maddow by rewinding to election night, “They’re just throwing races that nobody saw coming, and you are trying to, on the fly, pick all of that stuff up, and grab it. So, there is almost no time to soak in any kind of exhilaration. You really are still working.”

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Maddow naturally echoed the idea while admitting she had a difficult time trying to remain professional, “Yes. I am trying to keep my brain and my mouth connected and legal. Because — and my ears too, because I also have to hear from the control room, like, when we’ve got a call. Is it a big enough call that I need to interrupt the person talking and jump in there and say—? You have to make sure you say the right thing, and you have to pronounce stuff right and you have to remember if you have anything salient to say about the person. It’s just a lot.”

She also claimed, “I think it really wasn’t until I got off the air that I realized, like ‘Oh, holy flip, Texas is blue. And Ohio. And there are Democrats going to Congress from Montana and from Utah and the cat guy won in Indiana!’ I mean, it is amazing.”

Stewart and Maddow would go on to discuss their hopes and dreams when Democrats officially take over. They eagerly looked forward to Medicare expansion at both the state and federal level. Similarly, they both lamented the state of the Justice Department, the administration’s immigration policies, and other matters that make more sense on MS NOW than a network that has “Comedy” in its name.

Here are transcripts for the November 9-taped shows:

ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!

11/10/2026

12:10 AM ET

JIMMY KIMMEL: I have to admit, you know I don't — I'm really enjoying watching these guys lick their wounds after all the exceptionally vile lying. Republicans in Texas did their best to depict James Talarico as gay, vegan, or vaygan, whichever one Trump — faux-religious conman. Unfortunately for them, the voters didn't buy it, and now poor Ted Cruz is sad and all alone.

TED CRUZ: Look, the last two days in Texas, as I've traveled the state, I've just encountered people who are grieving. They're in shock. [jump cut] I went to Best Buy this afternoon. I walked in, and three people there were almost in tears, expressing shock.

KIMMEL: That's not because they're upset about the election. That's because you're ugly.

***

Comedy Central The Daily Show

11/9/2026

11:29 PM ET

JON STEWART: They’re just throwing races that nobody saw coming—

RACHEL MADDOW: Yes.

STEWART: —and you are trying to, on the fly, pick all of that stuff up, and—

MADDOW: Yes.

STEWART: — grab it. So, there is almost no time to soak in any kind of exhilaration. You really are still working.

MADDOW: Yes. I am trying to keep my brain and my mouth connected and legal. Because — and my ears too, because I also have to hear from the control room, like, when we've got a call. Is it a big enough call that I need to interrupt the person talking and jump in there and say—?

You have to make sure you say the right thing, and you have to pronounce stuff right and you have to remember if you have anything salient to say about the person. It's just a lot. I think it really wasn't until I got off the air that I realized, like “Oh, holy flip, Texas is blue. And Ohio. And there are Democrats going to Congress from Montana and from Utah and the cat guy won in Indiana!” I mean, it is amazing.

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