Jimmy Kimmel Contracts COVID-19; His Fill in Host Once Called Trump 'An Aspiring Dictator'

ABC’s late-night host Jimmy Kimmel revealed Monday on social media that he has tested positive for COVID-19. His replacement on Live is actor-comedian Mike Birbiglia, who once called President Donald Trump an “aspiring dictator.”

The talk show host said Jimmy Kimmel Live! will return Tuesday night, with comedian Mike Birbiglia to serve as guest host. Monday’s episode — which was set to welcome Tom Cruise and Iliza Shlesinger — will now be a re-run.

“Our daughter brought us COVID (even though we specifically asked her not to),” Kimmel wrote on Twitter. “All feeling fine, I am double vaxxed and boosted but the show must not go on. Apologies to [Tom Cruise and Iliza Shlesinger] and thanks to Mike Birbiglia, who’ll be filling in for me starting [Tuesday] night.”

Birbiglia responded to Kimmel’s tweet, writing: “I must be the first person to ever deplane a Southwest Airlines flight and find out they’re guest-hosting a late-night talk show. Sending love to the Kimmels. See you on the TV [Tuesday], friends.”

In August 2020, Mike Birbiglia responded to a tweet from comedian Jim Gaffigan and asserted that the U.S. is “a country in a downward spiral under the leadership of an aspiring dictator.”

“If people like Jim & anyone with a conscience don’t speak up in the next 60 days & vote things will get MUCH WORSE. Don’t sit this one out,” the Billions and Orange Is the New Black actor said.

The actor’s fill-in duties come during a busy week for Kimmel’s talk show, with a guest lineup for this week that includes Mike Myers, Kevin Hart, Ewan McGregor, Ben Schwartz and Hannah Einbinder.

Kimmel is the most recent late-night host to test positive for the coronavirus. Last week, Stephen Colbert confirmed he would miss a few episodes of The Late Show after contracting COVID-19.

In the past few months, Jimmy Fallon, James Corden, and Seth Meyers have all announced their own COVID-19 diagnoses.

UPI contributed to this article.