Jimmy Kimmel offered one theory for why President Trump doesn’t seem to know he was booed by Knicks fans.
Trump attended Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday, singlehandedly inconveniencing thousands of Knicks fans with the heightened security measures his presence required of the event.
Knicks fans repeatedly booed Trump during the game itself, especially when he first showed up on camera during the National Anthem.
When Trump was asked by reporters about his reception at the event afterwards, the president insisted he’d been greeted warmly.
“I thought it was amazing, actually,” Trump said. “You mean when they had the camera on me? I thought it was very good... It was, I think, mostly cheers.”
"It’s so sad when not even he believes the lie he’s telling,“ Kimmel responded in his Tuesday monologue.
Kimmel jokingly offered one explanation for why Trump claimed the crowd had “mostly” cheered. Breaking into an apparent impression of Trump, he said, “I didn’t hear any booing. I was asleep for most of the game, so...”
Trump had been recorded dozing off in the the final quarter, the latest of many examples of Trump apparently falling asleep at a public event.
Kimmel pointed out the irony of Trump falling asleep at the event after causing so much chaos to get there:
“There’s Dozes Malone, who spent who knows how many millions of taxpayer dollars to get there and he goes out like a light,” Kimmel said.
The late-night host continued, “He slept for a long time. Who can fall asleep during the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden? Do you know how out of it you have to be?”
Kimmel joked further, “I hope Joe Biden was watching this and laughing his a-- off last night.”
Trump’s attendance at Game 3 coincided with the Knicks’ first loss of the series against the Spurs, causing many fans to blame him for breaking the Knicks’ winning streak.
“Ya just haaaaaad to invite trumpty dumpty,” wrote SNL star Michael Che on his Instagram story after the game ended.
Even before the game, critics were blaming Trump for hurting the Knicks’ chances. Sports commentator Stephen A. Smith blasted the president for his “selfish” trip to the arena, telling viewers, “I’m blaming the president of the United States of America if the New York Knicks lose this tonight.”
Kimmel agreed with Che and Smith, noting that “[The Knicks] had a 13-game win streak until Trump showed up.”
The late-night host joked, “Basically, [Trump] did to the Knicks last night what he’s gonna do to Republicans in Congress come November.”
