‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ Is Once Again Hiring Actors Just to Get Them Health Coverage
Jimmy Kimmel is currently on vacation, and that's why we've seen a rotating line-up of actors, comedians, and one fictional entertainment journalist guest-host this summer.
Since the show must go on (but only with Disney-friendly hosts) Jimmy Kimmel Live! is bringing back a familiar segment, one that actually makes an impact in people’s lives. Like, even more of an impact than when they force celebrities to read out social media insults that are in no way as horrific as 99% of social media insults.
As reported by The A.V. Club, Jimmy Kimmel Live! just posted an online notice seeking “actors who need SAG health insurance” and who, very importantly, are just “one role away” (meaning“$1401 or less”) from reaching the amount that qualifies them for coverage.
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According to the union, members under the age of 65 need to meet an “eligibilty threshold” of $26,470 during the “12-month Base Earnings Period” in order to qualify for health insurance – a necessity for struggling actors due to the reality that they're destined to bang their heads off many brick walls.
It seems as though the late night talk show will repeat a past segment that helped actors reach this income threshold. In 2022, guest host Kerry Washington briefly interacted with two working actors who secured SAG healthcare after showing up and speaking on the show.
The dates listed for the upcoming gig are between August 12 and 15, meaning that Kimmel will still be away, and the hosting duties will fall to a future guest like RuPaul or Jeff Goldblum, because life finds a way.
Despite the fact that Kimmel seems to be on vacation every time the show pulls this stunt, the inequality of the American healthcare system is a signature issue for the host since his newborn son’s open heart surgery in 2017. His name was even invoked by Republicans as part of a healthcare bill, which Kimmel criticized on his show.
The “Jimmy Kimmel Test” became, according to CNN, the “health care fight’s measuring stick.” Which is a pretty weird turn of events for a guy who first became famous for cracking sexist jokes and re-distributing Ben Stein’s money.
According to SAG, just 14% of their members meet the income requirements to qualify for insurance. So Kimmel could probably make this a nightly feature of the show and never ever run out of participants.
While it is nice that Jimmy Kimmel Live! is doing some tangible good for these actors, it is more than a tad dystopian that spending 30 seconds pretending to be a mailman next to the star of Scandal is the best shot for a sizable group of people to get health insurance.
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