Jimmy for Mayo! Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has officially fallen for the Irish and particularly Mayo people after a recent trip to our shores.
The US chat show host travelled to Ireland with his extended family after looking up his ancestors online, and could not have had a better time here, but one random act of kindness really stood out.
He recounted how his niece had accidentally left her purse behind her and was blown away when a local went out of her way to return it.
Speaking on his show, the host described his trip to Ireland as great, adding that ‘Everything they say about the Irish people is true, we had not one bad experience with anyone.
‘My niece left her purse in a pub, a woman she had never met, figured out where she was staying and drove it to our hotel,’ he recalled in disbelief.
Jimmy and his niece were even more stunned that the woman refused to accept money from them as a thank you and that she was confused as to why they were even offering her anything.
Another highlight for Jimmy was getting to visit the home where his father’s grandparents had lived, and he also touched upon how the Irish feel about American politics.
‘They’re worried about us, they’re very worried, they’re worried about us in the same way you worry about a nephew who you maybe haven’t seen for a few years and shows up at Thanksgiving missing all his front teeth. That kind of worried, like you’re doing okay? Seems like you might be having a hard go of it.’
The biggest culture shock, however, might just have been watching the Presidential election unfold. ‘We didn’t know until we got there, but we were there during their presidential election. Friday was their election, and no one seemed terrified.
‘There were the candidates, Catherine Connolly and Heather Humphries, and what about this photograph feels different to you?’ he said, showing a picture of them shaking hands.
‘Two women, yes, that’s a big one, but also the day before the election, sharing a warm embrace. Connolly won and got this, her opponent said: “Catherine will be a president for all of us, she will be my president, and I would really like to wish her all the very, very best, two verys, no whining about the election being rigged, it makes you wonder what’s wrong with these people!’ he joked.
