Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel has roasted Mike Johnson for having a “too close” relationship with his son, after the new House speaker’s porn habits raised eyebrows.
This week, a video clip resurfaced online of the speaker discussing how he and his son Jack, who was 17 at the time, kept an eye on each other’s porn-watching habits.
“They use something called ‘accountability software,’ which tracks the internet activity on your computer, your phone, your iPad, etc. and shares it with your accountability partner,” Mr Kimmel explained about the father and son during his show Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Monday night.
“So if his son looks at porn, his dad gets an alert. And if Mike looks at porn, his son gets an alert,” Mr Kimmel continued.
The late-night host then noted to laughter from his audience: “It is possible to be too close with your children.”
Mr Kimmel then made a very public offer to Mr Johnson.
“If you have nobody else in your life to do this with, I will gladly be your porn accountability partner… I’m very open-minded; whatever weird stuff you’re watching—I don’t know, clown porn, cosplay, foot fetish, stuff with the tentacles—no problem, I don’t judge. What happens between you, Mike, and your Johnson is your business. But let’s get your son out of this, huh?” Mr Kimmel said.
Mr Johnson’s comments came back in 2022, when he appeared on a panel titled “War on Technology” at a church in Louisiana.
Mr Johnson said that he had learned about the software Covenant Eyes while attending a Promise Keepers gathering.
According to its website, Promise Keepers brings “godly men together to build a movement that spans generations and inspires men to live out their values with integrity, become strong family leaders, and keep the Lord at the forefront of their daily lives”.
During the panel, the congressman told the audience his son “had a clean slate”.
Mr Johnson recently described himself as “a Bible-believing Christian” on Fox News.
He added that in order to understand his personal philosophy, one should “go pick up a Bible off your shelf and read it”.
Mr Johnson became speaker of the House of Representatives last month after previous speaker Kevin McCarthy was ousted from the position in a historical first.
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.