What To Know
- Jimmy Kimmel is off air on summer vacation but he took time to talk about his chaotic year of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
- Plus, he had some choice words about what it’ll take to save late-night TV.
Jimmy Kimmel Live! is rotating through a series of guest hosts as the show’s mainstay enjoys an extended summer vacation from the late-night show. However, Jimmy Kimmel took some time off from his time off for a very brief chat about the year he’s had, which included being suspended by ABC after the FCC’s chairman pressured its affiliates to stop airing the series in response to Kimmel’s comments after the shooting death of Charlie Kirk. Kimmel’s show was ultimately reinstated after a week full of backlash against the network and the agency, and he went on to receive Emmy nods for both Live! and his network game show, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?
Speaking with The Hollywood Reporter, Kimmel reflected on the most memorable part of it all, saying, “No question that what I will remember most is the reaction to our unscheduled vacation [after Kirk], which went so far beyond what I ever could have expected. I’ll never forget the support from friends, strangers, and even those who generally make me throw up.” Chances are, that last bit is a reference to the prominent Republicans who notably stood up in defense of the show after the FCC’s public pressure campaign and the aftermath, like Senators Ted Cruz and Rand Paul.
Elsewhere in the interview, Kimmel was prompted to talk about the ailing state of the late-night industry, especially under Donald Trump‘s administration, and what it’d take to save it. To that, Kimmel said simply, “A different president would be a good start.”
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Kimmel has been on a pre-scheduled break from Live! since June 18, with guest hosts filling in for him like Tiffany Haddish, Ike Barinholtz, Colman Domingo, and Anthony Anderson.
Next week, Rosie O’Donnell, who is also sharply and unabashedly critical of Trump, will guest-host for the week, and the following week will see Jelly Roll take over emcee duties.
Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Weeknights, 11:35/10:35c, ABC