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Jimmy Kimmel says son is doing 'well' after heart surgery

The television personality and wife Molly McNearney welcomed son Billy in April.

By Annie Martin
Jimmy Kimmel (L) and Molly McNearney attend the Vanity Fair Oscar party on February 26. The late-night host gave an update on son Billy on Monday's episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI
1 of 3 | Jimmy Kimmel (L) and Molly McNearney attend the Vanity Fair Oscar party on February 26. The late-night host gave an update on son Billy on Monday's episode of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" File Photo by Christine Chew/UPI | License Photo

May 9 (UPI) -- Jimmy Kimmel says his son is doing "very well" after having open-heart surgery.

The 49-year-old late-night host gave an update on Billy, his infant son with wife Molly McNearney, on Monday's episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! after emotionally sharing his son's health issues last week.

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"Our son Billy is doing very well. He's eating. He's getting bigger. He's sleeping well," Kimmel said before joking, "He can read now, which they say is unusual."

"My wife took a little video of him today. You can see -- he's smiling because so many people donated to Children's Hospital Los Angeles. Either that or he has gas. We don't know. But what a humbling outpouring of support," he added.

Kimmel had announced on his May 2 show that he and McNearney welcomed Billy on April 21. He described how their son underwent open-heart surgery after being born with heart defects, and went on to comment on health care in the U.S.

"Until a few years ago, millions and millions of us had no access to health insurance at all. Before 2014, if you were born with congenital heart disease, like my son was, there was a good chance you'd never be able to get health insurance," the star said.

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"If your baby is going to die and it doesn't have to, it shouldn't matter how much money you make," he asserted. "No parent should have to decide if they can afford to save their child's life."

Kimmel said Monday that he was called "an out-of-touch Hollywood elitist creep" after his health care remarks. He replied to criticism with a sarcastic response.

"I'd like to apologize for saying that children in America should have health care," the star said. "That was insensitive. It was offensive, and I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me."

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