Celebrity guest spots keep running into the Israel-Gaza divide. Late-night bookings rarely stay neutral these days.
The Sept. 10 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! featured Gal Gadot as lead guest. Chef David Chang joined her on the couch. Indie pop band MUNA handled the music slot.
MUNA performed Dancing on the Wall. The track comes from their 2026 album of the same name. The set had been taped a few days earlier.
Naomi McPherson addressed the pairing on Instagram Stories before it aired. “We’re on Kimmel tonight! Thank you to all the staff of the show who were so great to us… they were legends who really went the extra mile,” McPherson wrote. “This was taped a few days ago and we weren’t told who any of the guests were gonna be. So gotta also just take this moment also to say a nice big huge Free Palestine.”
The statement matched the band’s long record of advocacy. Members have backed Palestinian causes through concert fundraisers, Pride events, and onstage chants. They once projected donation QR codes for Gaza aid groups.
Gadot appeared to promote The Runner. The Prime Video thriller cast her as a London lawyer racing across the city after her son’s kidnapping. It launched earlier in September.
Online critics quickly targeted the booking. They pointed to Gadot’s mandatory IDF service more than 15 years ago as a combat fitness instructor. Posts also cited her public support for Israel during the Gaza conflict. Some accused her of backing violence and urged a boycott of the show. Others told host Jimmy Kimmel to choose a side.
Defenders pushed back. They noted that military service is required for most Israelis. Guest spots, they argued, stay separate from politics. Reactions split hard across X and other platforms.
No comment came from Kimmel or ABC. The unexpected mix of guests laid bare the tightrope for shared media appearances. Stances on the conflict now shape even simple entertainment bookings.
MUNA has built a dedicated following with sharp synth-pop and open queer politics. Gadot remains a major screen presence after Wonder Woman and the Fast franchise. One night of television pulled both into the same cultural crossfire.
Late-night desks face this pressure weekly. Future lineups will likely draw even closer scrutiny.
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