Jimmy Kimmel Goes in on Airlines Lifting Mask Mandates: “Good News for the Little Bags of Pretzels Industry”

Jimmy Kimmel, naturally, kicked off Jimmy Kimmel Live! last night (April 19) addressing the recent lifting of mask mandates on airplanes — and other modes of transportation — in his opening monologue. Though the usually biting host didn’t dig down too hard on the change in law, he did have some softball jokes for the Federal judge who lifted the mandate, as well as the “bags of pretzels industry.”

“In Florida yesterday, a Federal judge struck down the mask mandate in place for passengers on planes, trains and buses,” Kimmel began, “which is good news for the little bags of pretzels industry.”

Kimmel then brought up a picture of judge Catherine Kimball Mizelle dressed in her robes, the same picture that has gone semi-viral for pointing out she was appointed at 33 years old with little experience and a negative rating, by former President Donald Trump. Despite the obvious set-up for Kimmel’s frequent target (that would be Trump), Kimmel instead decided to go in on what Mizelle was wearing at the time. “It’s amazing that a woman with an entire tablecloth around her neck gets to tell us whether to wear masks,” Kimmel quipped. “It’s like, dressed like a Nissan in a Christmas commercial.”

Slightly more pointed were Kimmel’s brief words for the Governor of Florida, who rejoiced at the lifting of the mask mandate in a tweet on April 18.

“Governor Ron DeSantis of course praised the decision, he tweeted it was great to see a Federal judge in Florida follow the law and reject the Biden transportation mask mandate, or as he calls it, Critical Face Theory,” Kimmel said.

But the biggest slam was saved for discount airlines. “All the major airlines have already updated their policy,” Kimmel continued. “Delta, American, United, Southwest, JetBlue, Frontier. And Spirit announced they’ll no longer require passengers to wear masks. Spirit Airlines actually didn’t have an official mask requirement because they don’t have windows in the planes.”

You can watch the full opening monologue above including what Kimmel called the first ever “Unruly Awards,” celebrating the “Karen’s and Aaron’s” taking off their masks mid-flight after the announcement of the mask mandate lifting.