"But the President canceled you": Matt Damon crashes Jimmy Kimmel's final New York show to mock him

On October 3, 2025, the Howard Gilman Opera House at the Brooklyn Academy of Music buzzed with anticipation as Jimmy Kimmel Live wrapped its week-long New York residency. The night took a wild turn when Matt Damon, disguised as Frankie Focus, the bespectacled green mascot for New York’s new school cellphone ban, stormed into Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue. 

Initially cloaked in the cartoonish costume, Damon’s identity was hidden as he bantered with Kimmel in a playful, high-pitched voice. The facade crumbled when he taunted, “Isn’t he dumb?” prompting Kimmel to rip off the mascot head, revealing Damon to thunderous applause. 

Damon quipped, referencing President Donald Trump’s erroneous claim that Kimmel’s show was axed after a brief ABC suspension in September 2025.

“But the President canceled you — which I was a big fan of, by the way.” 

The jab, steeped in their 20-year mock feud, electrified the audience, blending sharp humor with timely political digs. 

Damon’s antics didn’t stop there; he flirted with Kimmel’s mother, Joan, saying-

“What’s up, Joan? Hey, girl!”

Before leaving the stage, Damon escorted Kimmel's mother out and said- 

"Come on, Joan, come on. Let's let your wittle boy do his wittle show."

Then he threw in one last jab-

"I was lying about the costume. It is a sex thing." 

This chaotic, hilarious clash cemented the enduring appeal of their rivalry, proving Jimmy Kimmel Live thrives on unexpected spectacle.

A look at the Matt Damon-Jimmy Kimmel' rivalry

The Damon-Kimmel rivalry began in 2005 with an offhand comment. Kimmel, as he began to wrap up his episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, said as a joke about Matt Damon that he was sorry to have to "cancel" Damon because they "ran out of time" to have him on, even though they didn’t have a booking for Damon in the first place. What started out as a good-natured joke, turned into two decades of comedy routines, celebrity cameos and nonstop insults.

Celebrities such as Ben Affleck, Sarah Silverman, and most recently Tom Brady, have joined into the fun and it has become a cultural phenomenon. On this night, Damon’s entrance as Frankie Focus was brilliant, alluding to New York’s topical cellphone ban, and creating a context for chaos. His initial taunts, delivered in a cartoonish voice, targeted Kimmel’s lack of a college degree:

“Did you get a college degree? … I could tell from watching your stupid monologue!” 

The segment took a political turn when Damon referenced Kimmel’s brief suspension, sparked by FCC appointee Brendan Carr’s call to preempt the show after Trump’s false cancellation claims. Damon said, grinning-

“When he said you had zero ratings and no talent, I was like, ‘I’ve been saying that for years,’” 

Kimmel highlighted that they were only off-air for three nights and, in jest, Damon expressed faux disappointment: “Is there some kind of appeals process?” The bit ended with Damon flirting with Kimmel’s mother, Joan, jokingly escorting her off stage, something in the spirit of that mix of scripted comedy and spontaneity.

When Kimmel made fun of Damon's costume, saying-

"Is this a sex thing? Are you a furry? You're a furry! Dunkin' Dumbass is a furry, everybody! He's a furry."

Damon denied Kimmel's mockery and said-

"I know we've had our differences over the years, but I wanted to be here tonight for your last show ever. I mean, hey guys, we've been at this for a long time together — I mean, almost together — for like 23 years. I just wanna say goodbye."

Kimmel corrected Damon on this and said-

"This isn't my last show ever. We have a show Monday."

Jimmy Kimmel Live started in 2003, was co-created by Kimmel, and relies heavily on that trifecta of monologues, celebrity interviews, and comedic bits like these. The New York episodes, staged at the Howard Gilman Opera House, allowed Kimmel to demonstrate his P.R. skills to elicit major surprises.

The stunt with Damon was well-publicized and executed perfectly, with the Frankie Focus costume evoking its own geographical significance to education policy in New York state. The audience reaction was deafening and illustrated the continued allure of the feud between Kimmel and Damon, a product of both stars’ comedic relationship. 

Fans can watch Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC at 11:35 p.m. ET on weekdays, and full episodes are available to stream on Hulu.

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