The country star mocked Donald Trump’s IndyCar appearance and weight during his guest-hosting monologue, surprising viewers with the political jokes.
WEB DESK: Country music star Jelly Roll surprised viewers with a series of jokes targeting US President Donald Trump while guest-hosting Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday night.
Jelly Roll, whose real name is Jason DeFord, filled in for Jimmy Kimmel during the show’s summer hiatus and used part of his opening monologue to poke fun at Trump’s appearance at a recent IndyCar event and reports about the president’s weight.
Jelly Roll takes aim at Trump’s IndyCar appearance
Jelly Roll first turned his attention to Trump’s appearance at the Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C.
The singer joked about Trump waving the flag during the event, questioning how the president could have struggled with what should have been a simple ceremonial gesture.
He then joked that Trump’s enjoyment of the IndyCar race was unusual because, in Jelly Roll’s words, the president “normally only likes his own race.”
The comments drew laughter from the studio audience and quickly circulated online.
Singer jokes about Trump’s weight
Jelly Roll then shifted to reports about Trump’s recent weight gain.
Drawing on his own dramatic weight-loss journey, the singer joked that he had lost around 300 pounds in recent years — equivalent to what he humorously described as losing “an entire Donald Trump.”
He followed the joke by referring to Trump’s past comments about other people’s appearances and played a montage highlighting examples of the president mocking people’s weight.
Jelly Roll then delivered another joke comparing himself and Trump, keeping the segment firmly in the style of late-night political satire.
Fans surprised by Jelly Roll’s comments
The monologue caught many viewers off guard because some fans had previously associated Jelly Roll with conservative or pro-Trump circles.
Social media reactions included viewers expressing surprise that the singer had taken such direct aim at Trump. TheWrap reported that some viewers wrote that they “didn’t see this coming.”
However, Jelly Roll has previously said that he has no political affiliation and does not identify as either a Democrat or Republican.
His appearance therefore should not automatically be interpreted as a formal political endorsement or change in political affiliation.
Jelly Roll explains his late-night jokes
Jelly Roll addressed the reaction during his second night as guest host on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
He said he was surprised that his jokes had generated so much attention, explaining that political jokes and commentary are part of the late-night television format.
He also joked about how unusual it was that his comments had attracted such a strong reaction.
The singer’s comments came after his previous public statements distancing himself from party politics.
From 550 pounds to major weight loss
Jelly Roll’s jokes about Trump’s weight were partly based on his own well-publicised transformation.
The singer has spoken extensively about losing roughly 300 pounds after previously weighing around 550 pounds. His weight-loss journey has become a recurring part of his public story and has been discussed during his television appearances.
By incorporating that personal experience into the monologue, Jelly Roll turned his own transformation into the central punchline of his Trump jokes.
A surprising late-night appearance
Jelly Roll’s guest-hosting stint marks his return to Jimmy Kimmel Live! after previously filling in for Kimmel during the show’s summer break.
His latest appearance combined personal humour, entertainment commentary and political satire, producing a reaction that extended beyond the show’s usual audience.
While the jokes focused heavily on Trump, Jelly Roll has not announced a change in his stated political position.
For now, the episode stands out as an unexpected moment in the singer’s growing television profile.
