Jimmy Kimmel Sobs Through Heartfelt Bob Saget Tribute
The late-night host told viewers that it took him 14 tries to get his words out without breaking down completely.
ABC
Before he brought his audience into the studio for his first new episode of 2022 on Monday, Jimmy Kimmel decided to stand on stage and share some thoughts about the sudden loss of his longtime friend Bob Saget. It wasn’t easy.
The first tears came when Kimmel described Saget as “the sweetest man” who was always quick with a compliment or just a text to let him know how much he loved him. “He was so funny,” he added. “And I’m not talking about Full House or America’s Funniest Home Videos or stand-up comedy or movies. I mean funny for real.”
On top of that, Kimmel explained that Saget “had something funny to say about everything and nothing bad to say about anyone,” adding, “If there were people he didn’t like, he kept it to himself. Unlike me, he was a good person.”
After highlighting the years of charity work Saget did on behalf of the Scleroderma Research Foundation, Kimmel teared up again recalling the serious emails he received from his friend about “life and the well-being of our children and how hard it is to appreciate one of those without the other being just right.” He also revealed that when his son Billy was in the hospital, Saget checked in on him repeatedly.
Kimmel ended the tribute by sharing a clip of an appearance that Saget made on his show with his Full House “brother” John Stamos after the comedian Don Rickles died. “We never imagined that four and a half years later, we’d be talking about—” he said, but he was too choked up to get any further. “I’m sorry, I taped this like 14 times… Anyway, we had a beautiful conversation that night.”
In the excerpt that followed, Kimmel predicted of Saget and Stamos, “You guys are going to be like the old guys on The Muppets.”
“I hope that happens,” Saget replied.
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