Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel fired back at football player and noted conspiracy theorist Aaron Rodgers after the quarterback made claims about Kimmel's potential connection to an upcoming list of associates of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Reports suggest that more than 170 names, including former Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, billionaire Glenn Dubin, and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel, are expected to be among the names listed in unsealed Epstein-related documents, stemming from a lawsuit against Ghislaine Maxwell, convicted for aiding Epstein's abuse of teen girls.
The list of associates, redacted to obscure names, has drawn attention due to its connections with Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while in custody, awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges.
During an episode of The Pat McAfee Show on YouTube, Rodgers speculated about individuals who might be mentioned in the documents, jokingly naming Kimmel as someone who should hope the names are not disclosed.
Rodgers asserted there are "a lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, who are really hoping that list doesn’t come out." In response, McAfee revisited Kimmel's prior jab at Rodgers during the show, mentioning that Rodgers hasn't forgotten the mockery he faced after Kimmel referred to him as a “tin foil hatter.”
To that, Rodgers responded:
“I’ll tell you what, if that list comes out, I will definitely be popping some sort of bottle.”
You can hear what Rodgers said in the video below.
Shortly afterward, Kimmel responded to Rodgers' claim in a post on X, formerly Twitter—and threatened legal action.
He wrote:
"Dear Aasshole: for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any “list” other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can’t seem to distinguish from reality."
"Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court."
You can see Kimmel's response below.
Kimmel's post quickly went viral and prompted many to criticize Rodgers themselves.
Rodgers is a prominent conspiracy theorist who has a significant history of discussing COVID-related topics, including his own vaccination status. In 2021, he faced controversy for potentially misleading the public about his vaccination status, and was critical of the NFL's pandemic restrictions.
He was criticized by such individuals as Fox sports analyst and retired Steelers quarterback Terry Bradshaw, who said it "would've been nice" if Rodgers "had just come to the naval academy and learned how to be honest."
State Farm Insurance also faced significant criticism after it published a statement of support for Rodgers referring to him as "a great ambassador." The move angered many who said the company's statement was irresponsible given the United States' lagging COVID-19 vaccination response.
A list of 150+ names is expected to be unsealed at some point on Wednesday.
