‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’: Tribute to Fred Willard airs legendary comedian's best sketches for late-night show
America lost another legend from the world of television and comedy on Saturday, May 16. Remembering Fred Willard, the star of ‘Space Force’ and ‘Fernwood 2 Night’ (among many others), talk show host, Jimmy Kimmel paid him tribute, dedicating his Monday night, May 18, episode to the late actor. Kimmel was not only a huge fan of Willard but also worked with him on many episodes on his late-night show.
Before the tribute on the live episode, Kimmel posted on Twitter saying, “I am sad to say goodbye to Fred Willard, who was still the funniest of men at age 86. Here's what turned out to be our last moment on-air together…” and shared a clip of his time with Willard.
While paying homage to the late actor he said, "He was more than just funny. He had a light inside him; you could see a glint of it in his eyes. And it made everyone around him happy.”
“We started putting him in everything, every sketch", he said. "Sometimes he'd be in two bits per monologue... we could not get enough Fred," He added,
Airing live from his home, Kimmel took a walk down the memory lane, revisiting some of the best moments with Willard and the sketches that skyrocketed the comedy segments on the respective episodes. Throughout all his appearances on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’, Willard had played varied characters including President Trump’s party planner, the captain of the spaceship in a reprisal of ‘Space Force’, director of the Carnival Cruise, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, and many more.
Here are some of the most memorable sketches of Fred Willard on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ on ABC.
Fred Willard as Gil Fredricks, director of Public Relations of Carnival Cruise.
Fred Willard in a reprisal of ‘Space Force 2 - Attack of the Space Pirates’
Fred Willard as President Trump’s party planner
Later, Kimmel also brought together industry icons like Norman Lear, Ray Romano, Ty Burell, among others to pay their tributes to the late comic actor.
‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ now airs every weeknight at 11:35 am ET, right from his home. Check your local listings for more updates and information.
