Jimmy Kimmel posted a birthday tribute today for two of his closest friends, and deliberately left the most important detail out. The resulting caption was short, perfectly aimed, and a little mean – in the best way.
On Instagram, the late-night host wished a happy birthday to rock icon Huey Lewis and comedian Sal Iacono, known to ABC audiences as Cousin Sal. “Happy Birthday to the best and worst fishermen I know,” Kimmel wrote, tagging both Huey Lewis and the News and Iacono.
He didn’t say which one is which. That’s the joke.
Keeping the labels unassigned turned a birthday shoutout into a low-key roast of two people at once. Both get a title. Neither knows if they should feel flattered or embarrassed. Kimmel gets to walk away clean.
Huey Lewis turns 76 today. July 5 is his confirmed birthday, and it looks like Iacono may be sharing the occasion. Lewis is the frontman of Huey Lewis and the News. The band put out some of the biggest rock hits of the 1980s – “The Power of Love,” “Hip to Be Square,” and “I Want a New Drug” among them. Their 1983 album “Sports” went multi-platinum and helped make them one of the defining acts of the decade. Lewis announced in 2018 that he’d been diagnosed with sudden hearing loss from Meniere’s disease. The diagnosis forced him to step back from live touring. He’s spoken openly about how much that cost him. In the years since, he’s stayed connected with supporters through social media and select public appearances.
Cousin Sal is a writer, comedian, and on-air personality who has been part of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC since the show’s early days. He’s also made a name for himself in sports commentary, popping up regularly in sports betting coverage. Kimmel and Sal are actual cousins. That connection explains the nickname and, going by today’s post, a lot of shared time out on the water.
The post is very much in Kimmel’s style. He has a real gift for landing a joke with as few words as possible. The caption zeroes in on one detail, fishing, and uses it to gently roast both friends at the same time. Neither one gets singled out. The ambiguity is the entire punchline.
It’s the kind of birthday message most people would love to get from a close friend. The fishing angle makes it feel genuinely personal. These three clearly spend time together outside of work. That gives the whole thing a warmth a generic shoutout just wouldn’t have.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! has aired on ABC since 2003. Iacono has been part of the show for most of that run, appearing both behind the scenes and on camera. Their rapport is easy to see. A birthday tribute built around a fishing rivalry feels exactly right for these two.
The post has pulled in more than 16,000 likes on a holiday weekend. No public response yet from Lewis or Iacono on which fishing title they think they’ve earned.
Kimmel isn’t clarifying. He doesn’t have to. The joke already did its job.
Happy birthday to both of them.
