Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel recently shared a scary story about how he almost lost his longtime friend and fake enemy Matt Damon during a dinner party at his home. The 57-year-old host revealed the incident during a recent interview with Variety magazine, where he opened up about various aspects of his career and personal life. Despite their well-documented public rivalry, the two men are actually close friends in real life.
The dangerous situation happened when Damon came over to Kimmel’s house for dinner one night. Kimmel had prepared pork ribs for the meal, but things quickly went wrong when Damon arrived late and very hungry. The actor started eating fast and began choking on a piece of pork rib that got stuck deep in his throat.
Kimmel recalled the terrifying moment, saying, “If he dies in my house, I’m going to prison for the rest of my life. I will never be able to explain this as anything other than a murder.” The situation became so serious that the rib remained lodged in Damon’s throat for about an hour and a half. Damon’s brother Kyle was also present during the scary incident, adding to the panic of the situation.
How YouTube videos helped save Matt Damon’s life
The standard first aid approach did not work for the choking emergency. Kimmel and Kyle Damon tried using the Heimlich maneuver multiple times, but it proved unsuccessful because the rib was stuck too far down in Damon’s throat. With traditional methods failing, the group turned to the internet for help.
Jimmy Kimmel says Matt Damon almost choked to death at his house once.
— Variety (@Variety) August 18, 2025
"Matt Damon was over at my house one night for dinner. I made pork ribs. He came late, was very hungry, and started eating fast. He started choking on a pork rib. It was stuck in his throat for about an hour… pic.twitter.com/es4dvMXHmI
Kimmel explained that they did “a lot of YouTube-ing” to find alternative solutions for the choking situation. After searching through various videos and methods online, they finally found what would save Damon’s life. The research led them to conclude that feeding small pieces of bread to the choking actor might help push the rib down into his stomach.
The bread method worked perfectly, and Kimmel said it ultimately “saved him.” The creative solution shows how quick thinking and modern technology can help in emergency situations. The incident adds another chapter to the longtime fake feud between Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon that has entertained audiences for nearly two decades. While their public rivalry is all for show, this real-life emergency proved that when it matters, Kimmel genuinely cares about his friend’s safety.
