On Tuesday, there was a moment of apolitical fun at the White House between President Trump’s press team and reporters as Waddle—one of the pardoned Thanksgiving turkeys—obliged a request to “give us a gobble.” Unfortunately, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel just had to ruin it by reacting, “See? Fascists have fun too.”
Kimmel opened by introducing the turkeys, “These are the birds that were spared. Their names are Gobble and Waddle, which is what Trump does every night at dinner: gobble and waddle. Thank you. Gobble and Waddle spent the night last night in a luxury suite at the Willard Hotel. Which must be a real treat for the housekeeping staff, which must be a real treat for the housekeeping staff at the Willard Hotel. I wonder who's in that room tonight? ‘What the hell? What are these? Milk Duds? What happened in here?’”
He then moved on to the video, “Waddle then, after a five-star stay, woke up early enough to make an appearance in the White House press room.”
In the video, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was seen holding her young son as she exclaimed, “Hi, Waddle. Oh my goodness. He’s a beautiful bird.”
Someone else then asked Waddle, “Want to give us a gobble?”
Waddle granted the request, sending the room into laughter. It was a nice moment, but Kimmel couldn’t resist the urge to call people fascists, “See? Fascists have fun too. It's fun.”
Perhaps Jimmy Kimmel Live! would be more fun if the host refrained from calling everyone a fascist and politicizing turkey noises.
Here is a transcript for the November 25 show:
ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!
11/25/2025
11:36 PM ET
JIMMY KIMMEL: These are the birds that were spared. Their names are Gobble and Waddle, which is what Trump does every night at dinner: gobble and waddle. Thank you. Gobble and Waddle spent the night last night in a luxury suite at the Willard Hotel. Which must be a real treat for the housekeeping staff, which must be a real treat for the housekeeping staff at the Willard Hotel. I wonder who's in that room tonight? "What the hell? What are these? Milk Duds? What happened in here?” Waddle then, after a five-star stay, woke up early enough to make an appearance in the White House press room.
KAROLINE LEAVITT: Hi, Waddle. Oh my goodness. He’s a beautiful bird.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: Want to give us a gobble?
WADDLE: [gobbles]
[Laughter]
KIMMEL: See? Fascists have fun too. It's fun.
