On Tuesday night, during a lively episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, viewers witnessed a surprising moment when the famous host Jimmy Kimmel suddenly changed the topic to SpaceX and Elon Musk’s ambition to send humans to Mars.

“I mean… really, Elon? Mars? Has anyone ever brought a Tesla for a picnic there?” – Kimmel laughed loudly, along with a clip of a Tesla car floating on a fictional red surface. The audience in the studio laughed, and Kimmel kept cracking jokes, even pretending to contact “Martians” with a toy phone. 

It was thought to be just a regular comedy routine, but no one expected Elon Musk – who was watching the show from afar – to have an unpredictable reaction. Just 15 minutes after the broadcast, Musk posted a short but provocative tweet:

“They laughed. But we’re ready to launch Starship 7 next month. Kimmel can come along if he wants to try the atmosphere.” 

The tweet immediately went viral: more than 10 million views within an hour. And it didn’t stop there, Elon also sent a spacesuit with the message “For Jimmy, from Mars with love” directly to Kimmel’s studio. The video recorded the moment SpaceX employees brought the suit on stage amid loud applause and cheers. 

Kimmel – who is a sarcastic person – was stunned for a few seconds before laughing:
“Maybe I should start learning how to grow potatoes on Mars like Matt Damon…”

On social media, this humorous war of words became a hot topic. Many people think this is a genius PR move by Elon Musk, while others call it “a humorous battle of wits between America’s two Jimmys”.

Whether it’s true or not, one thing is for sure: Elon Musk always knows how to make the world turn their heads – even when he’s being teased on live television. And who knows, maybe one day soon, Jimmy Kimmel will actually… host a talk show from Mars?