Jimmy Kimmel tries to dunk on RFK Jr., but it goes over about as well as his jokes — and ends in a fact-check

Jimmy Kimmel earned himself a fact-check Tuesday after trying to dunk on Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

On Sunday, Kennedy posted a Twitter message stressing the importance of prioritizing physical health. To bolster his position that the physical health of Americans is an issue presidential candidates should address, RFK Jr. cited the significant weight gain Americans experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Americans gained an average of 29 pounds during the Covid lockdowns," he tweeted. "I will help turn this around by encouraging our citizens to exercise, eat well, and fortify their immune systems by removing harmful chemicals from our food."

In response, Kimmel misrepresented what Kennedy said and mocked him.

"[W]ow! we each gained 29 lbs? that almost sounds like nonsense! (there’s a good possibility this guy is Borat)," Kimmel responded.

But much like the jokes on his late-night talk show, Kimmel's attempt to dunk on Kennedy fell flat.

That's because the American Psychological Association found that 42% of Americans reported gaining "undesired" weight during the pandemic. Important to this story, the average weight gain of those who reported "undesired" weight was, that's right, 29 pounds. Twitter added a fact-check to Kimmel's tweet noting the APA's study.

What Kennedy did not assert was that each and every American gained 29 pounds during the pandemic. He simply restated what the APA found about American weight gain.

But the central point of Kennedy's tweet remains true: For unhealthy Americans, the pandemic exacerbated unhealthy behaviors and weight gain. Other studies have corroborated the data point that a significant number of Americans gained weight during the pandemic. Many of those people were already obese or overweight.

Indeed, for America to maintain its status as a global superpower, its people cannot remain bogged down in metabolic diseases and other health problems that can otherwise be avoided with exercise, diet, and self-discipline. That, of course, was Kennedy's point all along.

"As President, I will restore America as the global example of health & well-being. Not through pills or syringes, but through character and self-discipline," he said.

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