Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Jimmy Kimmel Just Stuffed Mike Lindell Into A Claw Machine On His Show—And It Got Weird Fast

YouTube screenshot of Mike Lindell in a claw machine on "Jimmy Kimmel Live"
Jimmy Kimmel Live/YouTube

The MyPillow CEO didn't let being stuck in the machine stop him from spouting off more election conspiracies.

Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel stuffed MyPillow CEO and noted conspiracy theorist Mike Lindell into a claw machine on his show, a scene so utterly bizarre one can't help but accept truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

Lindell has been the subject of considerable derision for taking a more active role in supporting and financing former Republican President Donald Trump's attempts to overturn the 2020 general election result by spreading disproven conspiracy theories about widespread electoral fraud and faulty voting machines he says handed the election to Democratic President Joe Biden.


Kimmel quipped that to help Lindell "overcome his debilitating fear of machines, we have installed him inside a claw machine" while Lindell himself joked during a Facebook live stream earlier that day that Kimmel had allowed him on the show even though he isn't vaccinated against COVID-19.

But Kimmel clarified during his opening monologue that he "did not insist that Mike be in a claw machine because he’s not vaccinated," saying he did so "because it’s hilarious" and not in any way intended to be a political statement.

But the appearance definitely appeared to be a political statement for Lindell, who regurgitated more of his conspiracy theories and falsehoods about the integrity of the 2020 election.

You can watch what happened in the video below.

MyPillow Mike Lindell’s Interview from Inside a Claw Machineyoutu.be

At one point during the interview, Kimmel asked Lindell why he had only received four Republican National Committee (RNC) votes despite campaigning over the last couple of months on the assurance that he would unseat longtime RNC chair Ronna McDaniel, whom Republicans ended up re-electing by an overwhelming margin.

Kimmel questioned whether Lindell believes the results of the RNC's election are also "rigged," referencing Lindell's attempts to cast doubt on the 2020 election results, to which Lindell replied that he didn’t believe that was the case because "there [were] no machines involved."

The exchange led to Kimmel asking if Lindell was saying that he "would have lost either way" before jokingly wondering whether Lindell's distrust of voting machines extends to "sewing machines" or "ice machines."

Lindell quickly rejected Kimmel's suggestion that his "barometer when it comes to voting is off," insisting that RNC representatives "didn't listen to the people of our country that wanted a change in the RNC leadership."

Lindell's stubborn refusal to accept the RNC election results prompted Kimmel to observe that "one of the differences between [Lindell] and the claw machine is claw machines let go" but Lindell countered that he loves the United States and believes it's his sworn duty to "save our country" by getting "rid of the computers" used in elections.

And on the subject of Trump's narrative that he lost the 2020 election because of fraud and abuse, Lindell shared that he has spent more than $40 million on the cause, an amount that includes his spending on Lindell TV, his streaming platform, and is $15 million more than the estimate Lindell gave during an interview with Insider in December 2021.

To say people were weirded out by the entire affair is an understatement.






But many were not pleased to see that Kimmel had given Lindell a platform on his program.





Lindell's bid for RNC leadership was always doomed to fail.

Political insiders—not to mention social media users—largely agreed his candidacy would only make matters worse for the RNC at a time when the GOP is largely split over allegiance to Trumpist politics and the party's disappoining midterm election performance, which failed to bring about the "red wave" Republican pollsters and legislators were counting on.

The bumbling Lindell made headlines in September after he complained that agents with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) seized his phone while he was in the drive-thru of a Hardee’s restaurant.

Lindell's phone was seized in connection with a 2021 breach of voting machines in Mesa County, Colorado, committed by former Mesa County Clerk Tina Peters, who is facing felony charges for alleged tampering after sensitive voter machine data she leaked was presented at Lindell's "Cyber Symposium."

Lindell had billed the "Symposium" as a legitimate arena in which he would unveil definitive proof that the 2020 election was stolen but he ultimately failed to produce any evidence of fraud.

More from Trending

Karoline Leavitt and Scott Bessent
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Karoline Leavitt Dragged After Making Mind-Numbing Claim About Trump's Tariffs Reversal

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is getting called out after she attempted to justify President Donald Trump's sudden reversal on his proposed tariffs, telling reporters that his actions make sense because he has a master plan to make the world bend the knee.

Trump declared a full 90-day suspension of all the “reciprocal” tariffs that took effect at midnight April 10—except for those on China—in a dramatic about-face from a president who had long championed his historically high tariff rates as permanent.

Keep ReadingShow less
religion signs
Noah Holm on Unsplash

People Explain What Stopped Them From Going To Church Anymore

There's been a perception of a bit of an exodus from religion for the last several decades. But humanity has gone from no organized religions to oppressive religious regimes to rebellion and back again over the last several millennia.

But is the 21st century when religion finally fails to bounce back?

Keep ReadingShow less
Jojo Siwa; Mickey Rourke
ITV

Mickey Rourke Reprimanded After Indirectly Aiming Anti-Gay Slur At JoJo Siwa On 'Celebrity Big Brother'

Dance Moms dancer, Nickelodeon child star, singer, and reality TV staple Jojo Siwa had a rough few months in 2024 over some problematic comments and behavior.

But 2025 is looking brighter as the public rallies to her defense.

Keep ReadingShow less
Barack and Michelle Obama
Scott Olson/Getty Images

Michelle Obama Expertly Shuts Down Baseless Rumors That She And Barack Are Divorcing

Speaking on Sophia Bush's Work in Progress podcast, former First Lady Michelle Obama addressed rumors that she and her husband, former President Barack Obama, were getting a divorce.

Obama addressed the recent divorce rumors for the first time, while also reflecting on the personal choices she’s made since departing the White House in 2017.

Keep ReadingShow less
Kristi Noem
Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

Kristi Noem Ripped Over Her Lack Of Gun-Handling Skills While Cosplaying As ICE Agent

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was criticized after she had an ICE officer seemingly dodging her aim after she pointed a gun towards his head while filming a video.

In a 20-second video posted to X on Tuesday, Kristi Noem stands flanked by two Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, brandishing a gun. Wearing a vest marked "ICE," along with dark cargo pants and a cap, Noem addresses the camera while the two agents remain silent beside her—though some X users expressed concern for the safety of one of them.

Keep ReadingShow less