Kimmel takes infant son onstage in emotional return, slams Congress over health care

— -- “Live” host Jimmy Kimmel returned to the stage on Monday after a weeklong hiatus and he took a tiny surprise along with him: his 7-month-old son, Billy.

The comedian — who was off last week after Billy’s latest heart surgery — did his opening monologue with his infant son cradled in his arms.

“I was out last week -– because this guy had heart surgery. But look, he’s fine everybody. He may have pooped, but he’s fine,” Kimmel said tearfully. “Daddy cries on TV, but Billy doesn’t. It’s unbelievable.

“Billy is doing great, by the way. He has one more surgery. This is amazing — he had an operation a week ago. They say he’ll probably be on track to win at least a bronze medal at the Olympics in 2036,” he added.

The conversation quickly moved toward health care as Kimmel thanked the doctors at the Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles for treating his son as well as “children from every income level whose health is especially threatened right now.”

Kimmel attacked Congress over not funding the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). Its fate was left twisting in the wind earlier this year when Congress failed to approve funding for the program, which covers about 9 million children, according to Medicaid records.

“Now CHIP, [it] has become a bargaining chip. It's on the back burner while they work out the new tax plans,” Kimmel said. “Parents of children with cancer, diabetes and heart problems are about to get letters saying their coverage could be cut off next month. Merry Christmas, right?

“I don’t know what could be more disgusting than putting a tax cut that mostly goes to the rich ahead of the lives of children,” he added. “This is literally a life and death program for American kids.”

Kimmel urged viewers to demand Congress fund CHIP for 2018 and directed them to call the House and Senate phone lines at 202-225-3121.