The hilarious star of Jimmy Kimmel Live! talks about his career, from radio to late night and beyond.
Jimmy Kimmel has helped redefine the late-night talk show with his ABC hit, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which in its nine years has grown even sharper and more popular. Versatile? Kimmel co-created The Man Show, hosted the White House Correspondents Dinner, and this September will host the Emmy awards. In October he will bring his show to his native Brooklyn for a week of tapings. Join one of today’s funniest, most inventive comedians for a conversation with Bill Carter.
Bill Carter has covered the television business for the New York Times for 20 years and is the author of two books on late-night television: The Late Shift, which was made as an HBO movie, and The War for Late Night.
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Brief Bio
As host and executive producer of the late-night talk show Jimmy Kimmel Live for the ABC Television Network, Jimmy Kimmel is a busy man. Like most talk shows, Jimmy Kimmel Live features celebrity guests, comedy bits and live music. Unlike most talk shows, it also features Jimmy’s family – including his cousin Sal, his parents and Aunt Chippy. His childhood best friend, Cleto Escobedo, serves as bandleader, alongside his dad, Cleto Escobedo, Sr., on saxophone. Jimmy Kimmel Live airs weeknights at 12 am.
Kimmel has hosted the American Music Awards on ABC five times. He also was the host of the ESPY Awards in July 2007. He co-created and executive-produced the hit MTV2 series’ The Andy Milonakis Show and Crank Yankers. In addition, Kimmel co-hosted Comedy Central’s The Man Show, served for four seasons as on-air prognosticator for Fox NFL Sunday and co-hosted Comedy Central’s long-running and popular game show, Win Ben Stein’s Money, for which he received two Emmy nominations and one win for Best Game Show Host in 1999. Kimmel has also served as roastmaster for Comedy Central’s roasts of both Hugh Hefner and Pamela Anderson.
Kimmel’s company, “Jackhole Industries,” formed with partners Daniel Kellison and Adam Carolla, is (but will not be held) responsible for Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Man Show, Crank Yankers, The Andy Milonakis Show, Gerhard Reinke’s Wanderlust, Too Late with Adam Carolla, The Adam Carolla Project and the made-for-Comedy Central feature film, Windy City Heat, which won the 2005 Comedia Award for best film at the Just for Laughs comedy festival in Montreal. Kimmel also served as a creative consultant to Adam Carolla’s syndicated morning radio show.
Born in Brooklyn, NY and raised in Las Vegas, NV, Kimmel began his career in morning radio. Fired from stations in Phoenix, Seattle, Tampa and Tucson, Kimmel’s luck finally changed as Jimmy the Sports Guy on KROQ-FM Los Angeles’ Kevin and Bean Show, where his popular comedy sportscasts never even got him fired once.
Kimmel currently resides in Los Angeles.