Editor's note: Some people may find material in Kimmel's most recent monologue inappropriate.
SPOKANE, Wash. – The Gonzaga University men's basketball team is heading to The Sweet 16 but talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is not backing down from his claim that the school is not real.
He even interviewed a phony chancellor from the school on his show to prove it.
During his opening monologue on Monday night, Kimmel said people in Spokane are confused after his claims that Gonzaga is an imaginary place crafted to win basketball tournaments.
"I mean, you live in a place where you think something is and then you find out it isn't, and it challenges everything," Kimmel said.
The discussion has caused so much controversy that, "Does Gonzaga exist?," is the second option to pop up in Google's search bar.
Kimmel added that local news outlets have pushed back against his claims, including local ABC affiliate KXLY and Good Day Spokane.
"I'm starting to question if these people are even real," he said of the anchors and reporters.
Kimmel also referenced a recent video message from Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson and the dean of Gonzaga Law School where they – along with a large group of students – swore on a stack of Bibles that the school is real.
“That stack of Bibles they swore on, not only is it not even a stack, it’s not even a Bible,” Kimmel said before showing a doctored image of a book titled “How to Run a Fake College.”
Later in the monologue, Kimmel said he received a call from the chancellor of Gonzaga University who wanted to speak on air. Well, that man turned out to be none other than Fred Willard playing Chancellor Gonzo Aga.
"Well, if Gonzaga isn't a real university, how could I be the chancellor of it? That makes no sense," Willard said.
"Isn't me being alive and pretending to be the chancellor of Gonzaga –," he said before Kimmel cut him off. "I mean, being at Gonzaga."
Willard follows this up with a bold declaration that Gonzaga is, in fact, a mythical place. Even the office he was sitting in was a façade – specifically the basement of a Fudrucker's restaurant.
"Oh, who am I kidding? Gonzaga isn't real. It's faker than a tofurkey!" Willard exclaimed.
Watch the full video below:
Jimmy Kimmel says Gonzaga isn't real
Last Monday, Kimmel first joked about Gonzaga’s existence during his opening monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
"I have a theory, and I know this might be controversial, but here it is," Kimmel said. "I don't believe Gonzaga exists."
The comedian went on to joke about the Bulldogs bringing attention to the school.
"I've never heard the word 'Gonzaga' outside of college basketball," Kimmel joked. "I don't know where it is. I don't know anyone who went there. I don't even know anyone who knows anyone who went there."
This claim prompted many responses from alumni and Spokane residents alike, as well as some backlash. The City of Spokane and the Gonzaga men’s basketball team even chimed in.
On Wednesday night, Kimmel reaffirmed his belief that Gonzaga is a mythical place and highlighted responses to his monologue from local media outlets, including KREM 2.
“I think it’s very possible that Gonzaga is a hoax, probably cooked up by the Canadians to screw up our basketball brackets, and that made some people mad," Kimmel said.
"All I know is that, in March, I hear the word 60 times a day," he added.
Kimmel also joked about someone from Gonzaga driving him to the middle of a field and leaving him there if he were to visit Spokane. He also said that he would later wake up in a bathtub with three missing kidneys.
Gonzaga President Thayne McCulloh responded to Kimmel's fears via Twitter.
He wrote, “Hey Jimmy Kimmel! We PROMISE not to touch your third kidney. I’ll bring some concrete evidence to LA with me. Thanks for picking the @ZagMBB to win it all!”
All of the commotion also resulted in a petition to have Kimmel give the commencement speech at May graduation. Senior Jacob Schmidt and his roommates think it's a way to garner attention from the comedian.
"It started out a little bit as a joke, but we do think we can get a lot of signatures," Schmidt said.
On Wednesday, Gonzaga asked people via Twitter to send photos and videos to Kimmel using #GonzagaExists. Now, a Spokane Valley company has made apparel with the hashtag to convince Kimmel that Gonzaga, again, is real.
Regardless, Kimmel said he filled out his bracket and has picked the Zags to win the national championship.