A still from Tuesday's 'Jimmy Kimmel Live'
"Why did he cancel? We told him there were cameras here, right?"
Jimmy Kimmel still isn't quite sure why Donald Trump did not appear on the Tuesday installment of his talk show.
The presidential candidate was scheduled to be a guest on the episode, but Kimmel explained to his audience during the monologue that Trump's team contacted the show on Monday night to back out.
Read more Donald Trump Cancels 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' Appearance
"His people called late last night and canceled on us," said Kimmel, who is filming this week's shows in Brooklyn. "They were cryptic as to why he canceled — they said he has a major political commitment. But he did want me to relay the message to you that if he had been here, he would have been great."
"I'm dying to find out what this major political commitment was," the host continued. "Usually, it means he had to go on CNN and call someone an idiot or something."
Kimmel joked that perhaps Trump was volunteering "down at the orphanage," adding: "Why did he cancel? We told him there were cameras here, right?"
"But don't worry," Kimmel informed his studio audience. "Tonight, we're going to give everyone in the audience a basketball dipped in cologne, so you can fully experience what it would have been like had Donald Trump been here."
Kimmel referenced Trump's previous comments about Mexican immigrants by pointing out that his absence meant the show didn't need to "build a wall around Guillermo tonight." Guillermo is the show's Hispanic security guard and co-star.
We will include video as soon as it is available.
Email: Ryan.Gajewski@THR.com
Twitter: @_RyanGajewski
