Jimmy Kimmel is hiring federal employees during government shutdown

Kylie Mar
·Host & Producer, Yahoo Entertainment

On Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday night, Jimmy Kimmel opened the show discussing Day 17 of the government shutdown and his resolution for the nearly 800,000 federal employees not being paid.

President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats have made little progress in negotiations to end the shutdown — and the employees are feeling it.

“Humpty Trumpty is very focused on his wall,” Kimmel said. Government employees going without pay is “what Donald Trump does best,” he added. “Not paying the people who work for him — that is where he shines.”

Kimmel then announced his generous idea.

“It’s unfortunate that these people, these workers who have nothing to do with this ridiculous wall, aren’t getting paychecks, especially right after the holidays,” he said. “So, I wanted to do our part to pitch in. Tonight, and every night until the shutdown is over, we’re going to put a federal employee to work here at the show.”

Kimmel wasted no time, immediately inviting out his first hire – John Kostelnik, a local union president and federal law enforcement officer at the prison in Victorville, Calif.

Kostelnik, who said he objects to being used as a pawn in the fight over the border wall, told Kimmel that he is unsure if he will eventually get paid for the work that he has done so far during the shutdown.

Fortunately, Kimmel was looking to hire a tambourinist. “That’s called solving problems, folks,” he said.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights at 11:35 on ABC. Watch clips and full episodes of Jimmy Kimmel Live! for free on Yahoo View.

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