Jimmy Kimmel threatens to sue Aaron Rodgers for implying Jeffrey Epstein connection

"I've not had any contact whatsoever with Epstein," the late-night host told the NFL quarterback on social media.

Jimmy Kimmel is not kidding around when it comes to Jeffrey Epstein. The talk show host threatened to sue NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers for implying that Kimmel was connected to the late convicted sex offender.

The fracas started after Rodgers appeared on The Pat McAfee Show and discussed with the hosts the upcoming release of high-profile names who flew on Epstein's plane, visited his island, or were involved with the criminal's infamous sex-trafficking operation.

"A lot of people, including Jimmy Kimmel, are hoping that doesn't come out," Rodgers said on the show, without providing any factual support for his allegation.

The clip of Rodgers' remark quickly went viral on social media, and it wasn't long before Kimmel himself saw it and issued a forceful response on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

"Dear A-----e: for the record, I’ve not met, flown with, visited, or had any contact whatsoever with Epstein, nor will you find my name on any 'list' other than the clearly-phony nonsense that soft-brained wackos like yourself can't seem to distinguish from reality," Kimmel wrote. "Your reckless words put my family in danger. Keep it up and we will debate the facts further in court. @AaronRodgers12"

Representatives for Rodgers and Kimmel did not immediately respond to EW's request for comment.

Epstein was a financier who was criminally charged with sexually abusing and sex-trafficking young women like Virginia Giuffre among famous friends on his plane and private island.

He was initially arrested in 2008 and served a 13-month prison sentence, for procuring a child for prostitution and soliciting a prostitute, from a 2008 plea deal in Florida.

Epstein was arrested again in 2019 and charged by federal prosecutors with sex trafficking. He died in his Manhattan jail cell on Aug. 10, 2019; though officially ruled a suicide, the circumstances of his death have sparked conspiracy theories ever since.

In 2015, Giuffre filed a civil defamation lawsuit against Epstein's close associate Ghislaine Maxwell, and named many other high-profile people she says were involved in the sex-trafficking operation. Until now, those other names have been kept anonymous. But with the success of Giuffre's lawsuit, Judge Loretta Preska recently ruled that the names should be declassified. That's set to happen sometime this month.

Observers speculate that the list of names could include Robert Kennedy Jr., Prince Andrew (whom Giuffre has directly named before), and Bill Gates (whose numerous contacts with Epstein, including after his 2008 conviction, have previously been reported by the New York Times), among others. So far, Rodger is the only one to bring up Kimmel's name.

Talk show host Pat McAfee expressed regret and apologized on Wednesday. “We obviously don’t like to be associated with anything negative ever,” he said. “We’d like our show to be an uplifting one, a happy one, a fun one, but it’s because we talk s--- and try to make light of everything. Some things obviously people get very pissed off about, especially when they’re that-serious allegations.”

Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletterto get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.

Related content:

• 5 of the most shocking moments from Netflix's Jeffrey Epstein: Filthy Rich

• It's time: Watch Mariah Carey pull an insanely festive prank on Jimmy Kimmel while he's sleeping

• Jimmy Kimmel spoofs the heated Kardashian phone call in promo for his late night return
  

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly.