Jimmy Kimmel challenges Roy Moore to meeting after Twitter spat
Jimmy Kimmel is ready for a fist fight with Roy Moore — if it comes to that.
After a day-long Twitter spat with the senatorial candidate from Alabama, the late-night host said he was happy to accept an in-person meeting offered by Moore.
"I responded and he responded back and I responded again, it's all on Twitter," Kimmel said on "Live!" Thursday night. "The bottom line is this. I accept the invitation. I will come down there."
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Moore had tweeted a link to a Breitbart article detailing Kimmel-regular Jake Byrd mocking the candidate at a Wednesday rally. Byrd, whose real name is Tony Barbieri, was thrown out of the rally after loudly bringing up allegations against Moore for sexual assault.
The character frequently interrupts press conferences and speeches with overeffusive praise for figures like Donald Trump or Michael Jackson. He is also a writer for Kimmel's show.
.@jimmykimmel If you want to mock our Christian values, come down here to Alabama and do it man to man. #ALSen https://t.co/E7oQB9D83P
— Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 30, 2017
A Washington Post article last month detailed allegations against Moore by multiple women who said he acted inappropriately with them, including one woman who said she was assaulted by Moore when he was 32 and she was 14 years old in the 1970s. Moore has categorically denied all allegations against him, and even attacked the women for lying. Moore has blamed "liberals" looking to sabotage his campaign at most of his campaign stops since the news broke.
It seems unlikely Moore expected Kimmel to agree to a visit, but the comedian mocked reports Moore was banned from a mall for harassing women in his acceptance.
"What I'm going to do is — I think you're going to like this, Roy. I'm going to come to Gadsden, Alabama, with a team of high school cheerleaders, OK? We'll meet you at the mall," Kimmel joked. "Don't worry, I can get you in."
Kimmel, who said he was a Christian, wanted to discuss "Christian values" with the candidate.
"If you're open to it, when we sit down, I will share with you what I learned at my church," Kimmel said in his monologue. "At my church, forcing yourself on underage girls is a no-no."
Before Kimmel's response on his show, Moore had tweeted he'd save Kimmel a seat in the front pew despite Hollywood's "bigotry towards southerners."
Despite D.C. and Hollywood Elites' bigotry towards southerners, Jimmy, we'll save you a seat on the front pew. https://t.co/z7n6uaeyCj
— Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 30, 2017
Kimmel said he was ready for a fight, too, should it come to that.
"Maybe you say come to Alabama and do it man to man, maybe you're challenging me to a fight, which is kind of what it sounds like. If you are, I accept, by the way. I accept that invitation," Kimmel said to cheers from his audience.
Moore spoke at Bryan Baptist Church in Dora, Alabama on Thursday night, delivering what he called a speech on "God and country." Moore attacked his opponent, Doug Jones, for his tolerance of "sodomy" and "transgenders in the military," saying, "I do not hate homosexuals. I do not hate transgenders. I hate sin."
ABC News' Andrew Fies contributed to this report.
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