Jimmy Kimmel is more than happy to start a late-night feud with Fox News' Sean Hannity

Jimmy Kimmel punches back at Sean Hannity — (Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/Jimmy Kimmel Live)

If you miss the good old days — two weeks ago? — of President Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden talking smack about beating each other up behind the gym, don't worry, there's a new feud a-brewing. After doing his morning routine Thursday, Jimmy Kimmel said on Kimmel Live, "I open my computer and find I'm at war with Sean Hannity and Fox News — who, by the way, I thought were my & Friends, Fox, but they are not, as it turns out."

On Thursday morning, the Fox & Friends early crew took umbrage at Kimmel's segment on first lady Melania Trump reading a children's book during Monday's Easter Egg Roll, saying Kimmel's poking fun at her accent was out of line. But they were just following the lead of Sean Hannity, who called Kimmel a "despicable" and disgraceful "ass clown" on Wednesday night for his Melania Trump imitation. Kimmel ruminated on what "ass clown" might mean, spun a rude theory on why Hannity is so animated these days, and then punched back.

"This is the guy who defended the multiply alleged pedophile Roy Moore, and I'm a despicable disgrace?" Kimmel said. "I'm the ass clown. Here's the thing — if I'm the ass clown, and I might very well be, you, Sean, are the whole ass circus." He elaborated on that a bit. "I do want to say, I appreciate how compassionate you've suddenly become to the plight of immigrants in this country over the last 24 hours," Kimmel continued. "You know what I think is disrespectful of the first lady? Cheating on her with a porn star after she has a baby. Why don't you rant a little about that, Sean Hannity?"

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This has all the makings of a Trump-era symbiotic grudge match like Jon Stewart vs. Bill O'Reilly, so stay tuned — Hannity apparently has no filter, and Kimmel has a mean streak and, more dangerously, a sense of humor. Peter Weber

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.