The Reason Jimmy Kimmel's Wife Is Mad He's Good at Pancake Art Is Actually So Relatable

By Alessia Santoro

Apparently Jimmy Kimmel is one of those geniuses who can create art out of pancake batter, and he's been cooking up masterpieces for his 3-year-old daughter, Jane, for the few months. However, despite his toddler's immense appreciation for the delicious works of art, Kimmel's wife — and the cohead writer of Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Molly McNearney, is feeling quite the opposite: she's pissed he's set the bar so high.

In an essay shared with the Washington Post, McNearney laid out why Kimmel's pancakes are "making her life hell," and though hilarious, her struggle is so relatable we can't help but commiserate.

McNearney starts by marveling over how even though her husband should be exhausted after his late night show, he wakes up in the morning and "with a quick squeeze of a squirt bottle, spurts cartoon characters onto a hot griddle." And though these impressive pancakes were something she admired in the beginning, the working mom admits she's exhausted, and Kimmel's elaborate breakfast art now makes her feel inadequate.

His artistic ability has become my burden. When he isn't home, our daughter sits at the kitchen table, glares at me and says, "I want a pancake. Peppa Pig." She doesn't even know that pancakes are round. I try to sell her on a bowl of oatmeal. I tell her it's Wonder Woman food. She doesn't buy it. She demands the edible art she is accustomed to. I cave and nervously promise her a pancake. "I'll make you a 'brown ball'!" She looks at me with confusion, followed by pity and then disgust. A tantrum follows. Being a mother is hard enough. Pancake artist is NOT in the job description. I attempted a smiley face once. I don't want to talk about it.

Although McNearney's essay is overall lighthearted and she does genuinely seem appreciative of her husband's cooking skills, we can't help but identify a little too hard with her parting statements.

"One day my children will appreciate the fact that I gave birth to them and stayed up all night breast-feeding and rubbing growing pains out of their legs," she wrote. "One day they will remember that I always had a snack in my purse and a baby wipe in my glove compartment. They might even thank me for teaching them good manners if I did it successfully. Until then, I'll make waffles."

See a few of Kimmel's annoyingly impressive works of pancake art ahead.