Michelle Obama and Jimmy Kimmel Talk Parenting-and Here's What They Said
The former First Lady of the United States and a popular late-night TV host walk into a bar… okay, that's not exactly how the joke goes. And the pair didn't walk into a bar. Instead, they sat down together on a podcast to talk about life, comedy, and parenting.
Celeb dad Jimmy Kimmelrecently joined Michelle Obamaand Craig Robinson for the pair's IMO podcast, and the comedian opened up about starting his career and being a single dad. Kimmel divorced from his now-ex-wife, Gina Maddy, in 2003. But before the two split, he became a father to his first two children, daughter Katie and son Kevin (who are now in their 30s). He also has two younger children, Jane (born in 2014) and Billy (born in 2017), with his current wife, Molly McNearney.
During the podcast, Obama asked Kimmel about how it was "single dad-ing it" in the early days of his late-night talk show. He explained his daughter, who was 10, and his son, who was eight, "Kind of had the run of the place. And you know, there were a lot of snacks. I'm sure that was a big thing that they remember…Our family traditions just took place at the show." He continued, "I'd be writing a monologue and helping them with their homework."
It looks like time hanging with dad on the set had a pretty major impact on Kevin. Kimmel revealed that his son now works on the show. Daughter Katie has gone in a different direction, working as a sculptor and ceramics artist. But that's not all. She's also a mom-which makes Kimmel a grandpa!
The podcast veered off from Kimmel's backstory when Obama stopped to take a question from a female listener about parenting, staying present, and prioritizing as a mom. Ever the comedian, Kimmel jokes, "Number one…your husband comes first. No matter what."
Of course, the late-night host doesn't really believe that. But his answer does get a chuckle from Obama and Robinson. Kimmel goes on to address the root of the issue, making a strong point that if the roles were reversed, everyone would be applauding a dad who said, "I'm with these kids all weekend. And sometimes at night."
He continues, pointing out, "There's only 24 hours in the day, and now we're expected to do so many more things, and I don't know why that is…Just do your best. And I mean, that has to be enough."
The dad-of-four explained that his wife sometimes feels as though she's not doing enough at work or enough for the kids. So, how did he react? Kimmel says he touched her on the face and told his wife, "You're doing a great job. You're doing everything you can. And that's all you can do." Now that's some pretty solid advice!
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This story was originally published April 16, 2026 at 8:00 PM.