Jimmy Kimmel gets political at Mayor Eric Garcetti’s inauguration

Jimmy Kimmel may not be able to fight City Hall, but now he’s played there.

The ABC late-night host served as the official emcee at the swearing-in of Mayor Eric Garcetti, which took place amid sweltering heat in downtown Los Angeles late Sunday afternoon.

Ever mindful of political realities, Kimmel blamed the heat on the previous administration.

He praised Garcetti’s down-to-earth roots. “He is truly a man of the people,� Kimmel told the crowd. “His parents were people. His grandparents were people. Even his wife, Amy, is a people. He is of the people and he works for the people.�

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Garcetti and Kimmel have a longstanding relationship, as he represented the Hollywood district where Kimmel’s theater is based.

But this doesn’t necessarily mean that Kimmel sees himself as a kingmaker. When asked about the appearance, the comic’s spokesman said he “just spoke off the top of his head.�

Which just proves, fellow Americans, that Kimmel too is a people.

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Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT