ENTERTAINMENTHoward Stern Confronts Jimmy Kimmel Over 'Fake' Friendship With Jimmy Fallon: 'I Wish You Would Just Come Clean'
Howard Stern accused Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon of faking their friendship for TV.
Sept. 30 2026, Published 1:54 p.m. ET
Howard Stern confronted Jimmy Kimmel over what he believes is a "fake friendship" between the late-night host and his peer Jimmy Fallon.
In an interview, the 72-year-old radio icon insisted the close bond between the two late-night Jimmys is mostly for show, saying he noticed a distinct lack of authentic chemistry during a joint summer hangout.
Stern argued that Kimmel is "desperately" trying to prove to the world that competing late-night television hosts can all get along.
Howard Stern Claimed Jimmy Kimmel 'Doesn't Enjoy' Being Around Jimmy Fallon
'I wish you would just come clean,' Howard Stern pressed.
“I’m gonna be honest,” Stern said. “We went away this summer, and you were kind enough to invite me. I went there with Jimmy Fallon. It’s this whole thing, ‘Oh, the two Jimmys love each other.’ I wish you would just come clean,” he continued, putting Kimmel in the hot seat. “You don’t enjoy being around Jimmy Fallon, and watching it is too f------ funny.”
Kimmel, 58, rebuked Stern to defend his relationship with Fallon, 52, noting that The Tonight Show host is famously fun to hang out with, making a sincere friendship effortless.
Jimmy Kimmel Defends Jimmy Fallon Friendship
'I cannot imagine anyone not having fun hanging around with Jimmy Fallon,' Jimmy Kimmel argued.
“Let me tell you a couple of things. First of all, I don’t know how I defend myself in this, but I’m going to attempt to. First of all, I cannot imagine anyone not having fun hanging around with Jimmy Fallon, because Jimmy Fallon, as you know, is a lot of fun.”
Kimmel pointed out that he has far too little open space in his life to waste valuable free time maintaining a "pretend friendship for no reason whatsoever," noting that they even had dinner plans scheduled for later that week.
“But secondly, do you think that I have so much free time in my life and so much open space in my life that I would spend — I’m going to dinner with Jimmy Fallon this week, as a matter of fact while I’m here — that I would waste that time maintaining a pretend friendship for no reason whatsoever?” he asked.
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Howard Stern thinks Jimmy Kimmel and Howard Stern 'desperately need to prove' that they 'get along.'
“It’s not pretend,” Stern replied. “I think you desperately need to prove that, ‘Oh, we can all get along.’”
Kimmel asked, incredulously, “To who? Who am I proving this to?”
“I don’t know, to the world,” Stern said.
Kimmel added, “I didn’t even know you’re watching us. Now that I know you’re watching us, I’m gonna be self-conscious of that.”
Despite being direct competitors since Fallon took over The Tonight Show in 2013, the two have traditionally maintained a very amicable public relationship.
'That Will Never Happen'
Jimmy Fallon supported Jimmy Kimmel when his show was briefly taken off the air last year.
“We’re very friendly. I know people expect us to dislike each other and say bad things about each other, but that will never happen,” Fallon said at the time. “It is nice. We’re like Peaches & Herb. I’m Peaches.”
Their bond went beyond casual banter when Fallon publicly defended Kimmel on air in late 2025 after Kimmel's temporary suspension from ABC amid political pressure.
“I do know Jimmy Kimmel, and he’s a decent, funny, and loving guy, and I hope he comes back,” Fallon said.
