ABOVE: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford made an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel show Sunday night.
TORONTO – Toronto Mayor Rob Ford’s status as a celebrity in the United States reached new heights as he made a brief appearance on Jimmy Kimmel’s post-Oscar night special Sunday night.
Ford walked on stage in a tuxedo and started waving to the crowd before Kimmel jumped in.
“You’re on the show tommorrow night,” Kimmel joked.
“Oh, sorry Jimmy,” Ford said before leaving.
Ford’s stint on the late night show only lasted a few second but the mayor is scheduled to make an extended visit tonight as Kimmel’s main guest.
“It’s ok. It’s cool. I’ll see you tomorrow right?” Kimmel said. “And let that be a lesson kids. God does answer your prayers if you pray hard enough.”
“Tomorrow night, Mayor Ford and Gonzo from The Muppets will be here together.”
READ MORE: Does Rob Ford’s California trip flout conduct rules?
WATCH: Actor Kevin Spacey jokes about Rob Ford throwing up all over their shared dressing room at Jimmy Kimmel’s show
Mayor Ford made headlines this weekend when he arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport on Saturday with Kimmel greeting him in a limo driver attire.
The mayor’s press secretary, Amin Massoudi, told Global News in a phone interview from California that Kimmel wanted him on as a guest on his show.
“Jimmy was one of the first to reach out to Ford personally, and it’s one of the reasons (the mayor) is here,” said Massoudi.
Several of Toronto’s mayoral candidates have questioned Ford’s trip down south and his intentions to boost the city’s movie industry.
“I don’t think he’s addressing the issues of the city. When I’ve been knocking on doors and speaking to people, they weren’t talking about Oscars, they were talking about transit,” said mayoral candidate David Soknacki in an interview with Global News on Sunday.
READ MORE: Rob Ford scheduled to make Jimmy Kimmel appearance Monday
Candidate John Tory had a similar response to Ford’s Hollywood appearance.
“If you’re going to get transit built here, if you’re going to get jobs created here, and keep taxes low here, then that’s done here,” he said.
But reached by telephone from Los Angeles on Sunday, Rob Ford remained focused on his plan.
“I’m just a little confused why they’re upset with me going down to L.A. and promote our movie industry and the great city that we live in and the great leadership that we have,” Ford told Global’s Cindy Pom.
VIDEO: Toronto Mayor Rob Ford says his L.A. trip is an opportunity to promote his city on the world stage
Last week, Ford appeared on his weekly YouTube show to deny he was an international celebrity.
The Toronto mayor made international headlines last year when he admitted to smocking crack cocaine and city council voted to strip him of most of his powers soon after the admission.
“I am not an international celebrity,” said Ford, in a video posted Wednesday. “I’m an average, hard-working guy that goes to work every day, comes home to their family, takes my kids out, supports my wife and family and does whatever I can.”
What do you think: Will you watch Rob Ford’s appearance tonight? Let us know on our Facebook page.
-with a file from Andrew Russell, Cindy Pom
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