Jimmy Kimmel issues backhanded apology after misleading clip of Mike Pence carrying 'empty' PPE boxes

close

Video

Fox News Flash top entertainment headlines for May 8

Fox News Flash top entertainment and celebrity headlines are here. Check out what's clicking today in entertainment.

Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox.  Sign up here. 

Jimmy Kimmel issued a backhanded apology on Friday after airing an edited clip of Vice President Mike Pence delivering empty boxes of PPE to a hospital.

The ABC late-night host mocked Pence during his Thursday night monologue after showing a clip of a maskless Pence pretending to "carry empty boxes of PPE."

Kimmel drew viewers' attention to audio from the clip, where Pence asks his team if he can carry the boxes "just for the camera."

AXL ROSE, STEVE MNUCHIN IGNITE WILD FEUD ON TWITTER

Jimmy Kimmel is under fire for airing a misleading clip of Mike Pence delivering 'empty boxes of PPE' to a hospital. (AP)

“Here he is with no mask on, wheeling boxes of PPEs into a health care center, and doing his best to lift them, what a hero… since it was going so well, and also because he didn’t realize he had a mic on, Magic Mike decided to keep it going, listen in closely here,” Kimmel said before playing audio from the C-SPAN footage.

Kimmell called it a "perfect metaphor for who [Pence] is and what he's doing." The clip was shared on Twitter and attracted over 2.7 million views.

But Buzzfeed News deputy director David Mack pointed out that Kimmel did not air the full video, which shows Pence was simply teasing staffers about the boxes being empty.

TRUMP TRASHES 'HACK' ANDY LACK FOLLOWING NBC OUSTING, HITS OTHER NETWORKS

“This isn't true. The clip cuts out at a selective point. When you watch the CSPAN footage (9 min in), Pence makes the crack about carrying the empty ones and the guy says ‘Absolutely. They're a lot easier!’ Pence laughs then immediately shuts the van door,” Mack wrote, adding a link to the CSPAN footage.

“Pence and the other officials lift boxes that clearly weigh something (i.e. contain things). Pence returns to the car, makes the empty box comment with a smirk, guy responds with crack of his own, they laugh, Pence closes door,” Mack added.

HOW DANGEROUS IS CORONAVIRUS?

The BuzzFeed director said Kimmel removed the clip from Twitter once he was called out for the error.

He addressed the gaffe on Friday in a half-hearted apology.

"It would appear that @vp was joking about carrying empty boxes for a staged publicity stunt. The full video reveals that he was carrying full boxes for a staged publicity stunt. My apologies. I know how dearly this administration values truth," Kimmel sarcastically wrote on Twitter on Friday.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

Meanwhile, Pence's Communications Director, Jon Thompson, criticized Kimmel, calling the edited clip "absolute garbage" and insisted Pence was "clearly joking."

Fox News' Brian Flood contributed to this report.