Jimmy Kimmel Jokes About Molly McNearney’s Gracie Award Win
Late night star quips about legal fees after he pushed his wife on her media honor night!!
Pratibha holds a master's degree in English from Madras University. A bookworm from a young age, she devours books and digital humanities to nourish her writing projects. Pratibha began her writing career in 2018 and has experience writing formal, informal, and technical content.
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Last Thursday at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles, late-night host Jimmy Kimmel took to Instagram to congratulate his wife, Molly McNearney, on her Gracie Award win. Posting a snapshot of the pair onstage at the 48th annual ceremony, Kimmel celebrated McNearney’s success in the News & Entertainment Writer category and added a cheeky note on their playful moment.
Molly Mcnearney’s Big Night
McNearney, co-head writer and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, was honored by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation for her outstanding work in television writing. The Gracie Awards recognize exemplary programming created by women, and past honorees include Shonda Rhimes and Oprah Winfrey. McNearney began her career writing for The Man Show and The Ellen DeGeneres Show before joining Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2013.
On accepting the award, McNearney thanked her writing team, praising their late‐night dedication and sense of humor. She highlighted the vital role women play behind the scenes and delivered her remarks with the same wit that has become her trademark. As the audience cheered, McNearney gave her husband a playful shove before launching into her acceptance speech.
Husband’s Playful Take
In the Instagram post—featuring McNearney clutching her Gracie statuette and Kimmel holding her from behind—Kimmel captioned the moment: “Congratulations to my wife Molly McNearney on her well-deserved #Gracie award and shoving me hard before her hilarious acceptance speech. My lawyers will be in touch.” Fans flooded the comments with laughing emojis and jokes about the impending mock legal battle.
Earlier this year, Kimmel showed support for women’s rights by joining Cyndi Lauper’s #GirlsJustWantToHaveFundamentalRights campaign on Instagram. His advocacy has underscored the couple’s shared commitment to elevating female voices in entertainment.
McNearney and Kimmel met while writing for Live! with Regis and Kelly and married in 2013. They share two children, Jane and William, and often collaborate on show segments and social content. Viewers credit McNearney for bringing fresh perspectives to Jimmy Kimmel Live!’s monologues and interviews.
Gracie Awards organizers praised McNearney for her leadership, noting that this year’s winners reflect a growing trend of women steering late-night television programs. “Molly’s win exemplifies the remarkable talent behind the scenes,” said AWMF executive producer Becky Brooks. “Her work sets a high bar for storytelling, and we’re proud to honor her.”
Kimmel’s Instagram followers cheered on the couple’s dynamic. One fan commented, “She deserved this, and that stage nudge was legendary!” Another quipped that they’d like updates from her “legal team.” Kimmel’s playful tone struck a chord: it kept the spotlight on McNearney’s achievement while showcasing their off-camera rapport.
Fans can catch both of them each week on ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, now in its 20th season. Highlights and full segments stream on YouTube and Hulu. With McNearney at the helm of the writing room, the show continues to earn Emmy nods and social media buzz.
McNearney’s Gracie Award win cements her reputation as a trailblazer in a field long dominated by men. And for Kimmel, it’s a reminder that his greatest collaborator isn’t just on camera—it’s the woman who knows how to push him exactly where he needs to be.
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