Jimmy Kimmel says his Mother's Day tribute made his wife 'very upset'

Jimmy Kimmel is opening up his Mother's Day Instagram post gaffe.

The father of four celebrated Mother's Day by sharing a casual, behind-the-scenes photo of his wife Molly McNearney and their kids in bed with their family dog.

"Happy Mother’s Day to the lady in the glasses and every great Mom," Kimmel wrote at the time Sunday.

But in a follow-up Instagram photo post featuring a glamorous photo of McNearney, he added, "So it turns out, one should check with his significant other before posting a photo of said other in bed with wet hair and wearing reading glasses…so now I have no choice but to employ the nuclear option: this photo of my beautiful, brilliant and glamorous wife shot by Mark Seliger. Happy Mothers Day Molly - we love you and appreciate the zillion things you do."

Kimmel opened up about his posts in a subsequent appearance on "LIVE with Kelly and Mark" on May 13.

"Apparently, this is the wrong picture to choose and an insufficient message," Kimmel told married co-hosts Kelly Ripa and Mark Consuelos. "[McNearney's] like, 'The lady in the glasses? Like, you don't even know who I am?'"

"She was very upset," he added. "... Then I put a very glamorous photograph of her. It was a little overkill, you know, but she looks fantastic."

Kimmel is best known as the longtime host of his eponymous late-night talk show. The 56-year-old began his storied career in late-night television in 2003 with the debut of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on ABC.

The comedian's run has spanned more than two decades and has been marked by popularity for his quick wit and ability to take on a range of diverse subject matters, including politics, entertainment and sports.

Kimmel and McNearney married in 2013. McNearney is a producer and served as the co-executive producer of the Oscars for the second time this year.

Kimmel and McNearney share two children, Billy Kimmel and Jane Kimmel. Kimmel also shares two children with his ex-wife, Gina Maddy -- Katie Kimmel and Kevin Kimmel.

Get to know Kimmel and his family below.

Molly McNearney

McNearney, Kimmel's wife, has blazed an impressive career in the entertainment industry in her own right.

On top of her role as co-executive producer for the Oscars, McNearney is also the co-head writer for "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

In 2021, McNearney appeared on the show multiple times in a segment called "Win Jimmy's Crap!" where she declutters their home by gifting a wide array of Kimmel's personal items to "contestants" on the street.

McNearney has appeared as an actress in a variety of works, including the 2019 film "Murder Mystery," starring Adam Sandler and Jennifer Aniston, and one episode of "The Morning Show."

The producer spoke to "Good Morning America" host Lara Spencer about the overwhelming experience of being married to the four-time host of the Oscars.

"It never ends," said McNearney. "You can not get away from it. We don't."

McNearney joked about work discussions over the dinner table and said Kimmel would pitch jokes to her while she brushed her teeth.

"Even the kids are like, 'Can you guys stop talking about work while we're eating,' and we're like, 'Fair point,'" she said.

McNearney and Kimmel's 2013 California wedding attracted stars from across Hollywood, including Ben Affleck, Jennifer Aniston, Ellen DeGeneres, Portia de Rossi and Matt Damon.

Katie Kimmel

Born in August 1991, Katie Kimmel is Jimmy Kimmel's eldest daughter, whom he shares with his first wife. Today, Katie Kimmel is an artist who frequently shares images of her work on Instagram.

In 2021, Kimmel celebrated his daughter's 30th birthday on Instagram with a post. "Happy 30th birthday to this talented and delightful baby," read the post. "So proud of what a great person you've become. Thanks for making me a Dad, Little Head."

Kevin Kimmel

Kevin Kimmel, born in 1993, is the second eldest of Kimmel's children and the second child he shares with Maddy.

Through the years, Kevin Kimmel has posted on Instagram about the bond he has with his dad, celebrating milestones like his birthday and Father's Day.

Jane Kimmel

Born in July 2014, Jane Kimmel is the eldest of the children shared by McNearney and Kimmel. Jane has appeared on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" multiple times. In one segment, when Kimmel and McNearney pick up a hitchhiking Olivia Rodrigo while taking the family to school, Jane shows off her personality, clasping her hands over her mouth in disbelief when Rodrigo enters the car, only to sing-along with the pop star on her way to school.

In 2017, Jane appeared in a video shortly after Halloween in which Kimmel joked with Jane that he had eaten all of her Halloween candy. Her nonchalant reaction and control of her emotions went viral, gathering 26 million views on YouTube.

Billy Kimmel

Kimmel shared in 2017 that his son Billy had been diagnosed with a rare and potentially dangerous cardiac defect in his first days.The experience moved Kimmel to speak openly about the need to insure those with pre-existing health conditions.

"Happy 5th birthday to our little nut," wrote Kimmel in an Instagram post celebrating Billy in 2022.

Billy was also featured in the Olivia Rodrigo segment on Kimmel's show, where Billy sang with Rodrigo in the back seat.