Newfoundland and Labrador premier joins push to have Jimmy Kimmel visit

Dwight Ball says talk show host’s focus on Dildo, campaign for mayor creating plenty of hype

Campaign posters to have Jimmy Kimmel elected mayor are posted on various homes and businesses in Dildo — including this one at Dildo Cove Coffee and Krafts — in the hopes that the American late-night talk show host will visit the town. - contributed

ST. JOHN'S, N.L. — The push to coax American talk show host Jimmy Kimmel to visit this province has been so strong, even the premier is getting in on it.

On his Twitter page this morning, Premier Dwight Ball posted, “Hey @jimmykimmel, what are you waiting for? How about I extend an official invite to come check out our incredible province. August is too hot in LA, and you need a break from that terrible traffic. I promise you’ll fall in love with Newfoundland and Labrador!”

Hey @jimmykimmel, what are you waiting for? How about I extend an official invite to come check out our incredible province. August is too hot in LA, and you need a break from that terrible traffic. I promise you’ll fall in love with Newfoundland and Labrador!
— Premier of NL (@PremierofNL) August 12, 2019

Shortly after, Kimmel replied, “Thank you Premier Ball. My emissary @IAMGUILLERMO is on the ground in Newfoundland and the whole Kimmel family looks forward to seeing the Balls in #Dildo.”

The province came to Kimmel’s attention when he heard about the town of Dildo — a Trinity Bay town near Whitbourne with a population of about 1,500.

Kimmel has featured the town on his show over the last few weeks and interviewed residents on his late-night ABC show, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"

Kimmel had fun with the town’s unique name.

“I think it speaks to the fun-loving type of people that we have in our province,” Ball said. “I’ve met many tourists from all over the world and they keep telling me they just love the sheer, raw, landscape and beauty of the province, but every single person will say the same thing — it’s really about interactions with individual Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that makes the trip so special.

“It really comes down to people and I think Dildo is another example in our province of how embrace this.”

Residents have also been thrilled that such a well-known celebrity as Kimmel — who hosted the Academy Awards and was named one of the world’s 100 most influential people by Time Magazine last year — has put their town in the international spotlight.

During one of his interview with residents, Kimmel suggested that since the town doesn’t have a mayor, he could step into the role.

Since then, Kimmel has begun a campaign to be named mayor. Members of his team have posted “Kimmel (heart) Dildo. Kimmel for mayor,” posters and banners on their properties.

“Oh, it’s in full swing down,” Dildo resident and business owner Dean Reid told The Telegram.

He said seeing producers from the Kimmel show in town are building hopes that Kimmel will visit this week.

“Nobody knows for sure,” Reid said, “but we’re all hoping he’ll come here.”

Ball said if Kimmel does visit, he would be more than happy to meet with him.

“If he wants to be mayor, why not at least come and visit the place,” Ball said, “if that was the purpose of the tweet?”