Jimmy Kimmel’s Victory Sparks BOYCOTT Calls — Netizens Divided as Ken Jennings and Steve Harvey Fans Erupt in Rage

The 2025 Creative Arts Emmys were supposed to be a celebration of television’s finest, but one shocking result has now snowballed into an online firestorm.

Jimmy Kimmel, best known for his late-night comedy, stunned Hollywood by winning Outstanding Game Show Host for Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? — and the backlash has been so intense that some furious fans are now calling for a boycott of the Emmys altogether.

The announcement, made live at the Peacock Theater, drew both applause and gasps.

Kimmel, visibly stunned, cracked a joke about “finally beating Steve Harvey at something,” but the laughter inside the venue was quickly drowned out by rage online.

“This Is an Insult to Legends”

Within minutes of the win, hashtags like #BoycottEmmys and #JusticeForKen began trending worldwide.

Fans of Jeopardy!’s Ken Jennings and Family Feud’s Steve Harvey claimed Kimmel’s win was nothing short of a slap in the face to men who had spent decades carrying the game show industry on their backs.

One viral post read: “Ken Jennings saved Jeopardy after Alex Trebek.

Steve Harvey turned Family Feud into a cultural phenomenon.

And THIS is who they reward? Never watching again.” Another furious fan fumed: “This is an insult to Regis Philbin’s memory — the Emmys just crowned a Hollywood insider because of politics, not talent.”

Others went even further, suggesting the Academy deliberately picked Kimmel because of his mainstream celebrity appeal.

“It’s about headlines, not hosting,” one X user declared.

“The Emmys are officially a joke.”

Silent Icons, Suspicious Silence

What poured gasoline on the fire was the silence from the icons themselves.

Ken Jennings’ only response was a short post: “Congrats to Jimmy.

Back to answering questions.” Steve Harvey, usually quick with humor, remained eerily quiet.

Fans interpreted the lack of commentary as confirmation that something “dirty” had happened behind the scenes.

Even Elizabeth Banks, who lost in the same category, offered a pointed remark backstage: “If it takes a late-night comedian to get people talking about game shows, maybe that’s the direction TV wants now.”

The comment, though wrapped in politeness, sparked speculation that industry insiders were just as skeptical as fans.

A Growing Boycott Movement

The boycott calls didn’t stop with angry tweets.

Several fan-run Jeopardy! groups on Facebook announced they would no longer support the Emmys, labeling the awards “rigged.” A Family Feud subreddit even launched a campaign urging advertisers to pull sponsorships, accusing the Academy of “disrespecting cultural icons for cheap headlines.”

One particularly heated thread asked: “If they can snub Steve Harvey after 15 years of ratings dominance, who’s next? What’s the point of these awards anymore?”

Divided Public Opinion

Not everyone agreed with the outrage.

A smaller but vocal group of Kimmel supporters pushed back, reminding critics that he wasn’t a stranger to the genre.

“People forget Jimmy Kimmel WON an Emmy in the ’90s for Win Ben Stein’s Money,” one defender posted.

“He knows the rhythm, the timing, the tension.

This isn’t politics — it’s recognition that was overdue.”

Others argued that his tribute to Regis Philbin, the original Millionaire host, made the win meaningful.

“He didn’t make it about himself — he made it about Regis,” a fan said.

“That’s class.

That’s history.

He earned it.”

The Bigger Question

Behind the noise lies a bigger debate: what do the Emmys actually value in 2025? Legacy, loyalty, and decades of service — or viral names who can guarantee trending headlines and keep the awards relevant in a crowded media landscape?

Television critics are divided.

Some argue Kimmel’s victory shows game shows are evolving into spectacle-driven events designed for online clips.

Others warn that sidelining veterans like Jennings and Harvey could discourage networks from nurturing long-term hosts and original formats.

What Happens Next?

For now, Kimmel seems unfazed.

Backstage, clutching his Emmy, he joked: “I can’t wait to see what Steve Harvey says about this tomorrow — that’s the real award show.” But online, the storm continues to rage.

Boycott hashtags are still trending.

Fan groups are digging into voting patterns.

And whispers of “Hollywood politics” refuse to die down.

As one netizen summed it up in a viral comment: “This isn’t Jimmy’s win.

This is Hollywood’s loss.”

The question that remains: will this backlash blow over, or will the Emmys pay the price for choosing star power over legends?