Brian Kilmeade responds to Jimmy Kimmel’s ‘phony little creep’ diss

Fox News Host Brian Kilmeade responded to Jimmy Kimmel’s “phony little creep” diss on his radio show on Thursday morning, saying that Kimmel went “crazy.”

Kilmeade began the segment by playing the clip from Wednesday night’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” in which the ABC late-night host took shots at the Cassidy-Graham healthcare bill and Senator Bill Cassidy’s appearance on Kilmeade’s show. Kimmel also tore into Kilmeade in his monologue, saying the “Fox & Friends” host is “dying to be a member of the ‘Hollywood elite'” — which comes after Kilmeade called Kimmel out as a member of the “Hollywood elite.”

Kimmel said, referencing the Fox News host, “He’s such a fan… he follows me on Twitter. He asked me to write a blurb for his book, which I did. He calls my agent looking for projects. He’s dying to be a member of the Hollywood elite.”

“Couple things need to be clarified,” Kilmeade said Thursday, adding that Kimmel is “obviously very emotional” about the issue. He pushed back on Kimmel’s claim that he “kisses [Kimmel’s] ass like… a little boy meeting Batman,” saying that he has no desire to leave Fox News.

“Why would I ever leave the number one network in all of cable, not only news,” he said. “And the number one morning show in the country … to go out to Los Angeles and do entertainment? I mean, what point is that? ‘No one will hire him’? It’s not even based in fact!”

He also took issue with the personal nature of Kimmel’s comments, objecting in particular to the phrase “little man.”

“I’m 5’10, 174,” he said. “I’m sorry that’s not good enough for you. But I just think if you look at average chart of a male in America, I think I’m pretty much on target.”

“Why don’t you call Cassidy and yell at him?” Kilmeade said. “I’m not telling you to be a journalist, but why don’t you be thoroughly informed about a program before you say how bad it is and call a guy who spends his free time operating on people for free as a surgeon … You basically called him a liar without ever talking to him.”

Kilmeade also addressed Kimmel on “Fox & Friends,” where his comments were more measured.

“Hope your son gets better,” he said. “I hope your son gets all the care he needs.”

“I’m glad you’re interested,” Kilmeade said. “You’re doing a great job brining the dialogue out, but you should actually do what we’re doing — talk to the people who wrote it.”