He works for ABC, so why is he thanking the leadership at CBS?

June turned out to be a record-breaking month for Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and the ABC host knows exactly who deserves the credit: the folks over at CBS.

Speaking with Variety’s Michael Schneider during a promo circuit for the return of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, Kimmel couldn't resist a sly nod to his rival network's programming decisions.

“The ratings are very strong, which we are very grateful to CBS for their wisdom,” Kimmel cracked.

Kimmel also revealed that he reached out to former late-night competitor Stephen Colbert about filling in as a summer guest host on ABC. While Colbert politely declined the offer for now—noting it feels a bit "premature"—Kimmel made it clear the door is wide open.

“I told him, ‘Anytime you want to host, it doesn’t matter if it’s the summer, I’ll gladly step aside,’” Kimmel said.

Whether CBS executives appreciate the shoutout remains to be seen, but Kimmel is clearly enjoying the view from the top of the summer charts.