UCLA's national champion women's basketball team recently appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live. The late-night talk show host used the celebratory interview to pitch an eyebrow-raising political quest to the players. A standard discussion with the team and coach Cori Close quickly turned partisan.
Kimmel pointed out that former President Barack Obama congratulated the team on social media. The host then asked if President Donald Trump had reached out yet. The players answered "no" in response to the question.
Kimmel then steered the conversation deeper into a familiar anti-Trump routine. "I'm sure you know he's busy. Um he's in two weeks you'll hear from him," Kimmel said.
The host then presented a bizarre scenario regarding a potential White House visit. "In the event that you do get invited to the White House and you decide to go to the White House, I have something for you," Kimmel stated. He pulled out a silver trophy that hardly resembled the actual NCAA championship hardware.
Kimmel instructed the team to present the fake trophy to the President. "What I want you to do is bring this fake trophy we've made to the White House," Kimmel said. "He's not going to know."
The comedian elaborated on his prank idea to the young athletes. "But when you bring a trophy, he sometimes takes it and keeps it for himself. So, this is for you guys to take to the White House," Kimmel added.
He promised the players it would work out in their favor. "And then you can say, 'President Trump, we want you to have this.' And he'll be so happy," Kimmel said. "You'll probably get an endowment and you'll be able to keep the real one."
Coach Cori Close laughed at the joke while the players politely clapped and chuckled. However, social media users quickly criticized the host for turning a sports celebration into a partisan rant. Many felt Kimmel unfairly used the young athletes as political props.
"Even celebrating their championship he has to make it about himself and his hatred for Trump," one user wrote online. "What an a---hole," the user added. Another commenter mocked the host's obsession with the President.
"What will he do when Trump is out of office? Is the show cooked?" the second user asked. Another viewer added, "This is funny, but I dislike that he used them to smite the frump."
UCLA won its first women's basketball national championship in program history this past weekend. They defeated the South Carolina Gamecocks in dominant fashion with a 79-51 victory. South Carolina had previously reached the national title game three consecutive seasons before this major upset.