Jimmy Kimmel considers ending late nights in a 'blaze of glory'
Jimmy Kimmel has revealed he's considered ending his late night show Jimmy Kimmel Live! in a "blaze of glory" when his contract runs out next year but he fears it would be a "very selfish thing to do".
Jimmy Kimmel is considered ending his late night show Jimmy Kimmel Live! in a "blaze of glory".
The 58-year-old comedian's contract with Disney-owned company ABC expires in 2027 after only being extended for one year rather than a typical three-year stint, and he has admitted Jimmy Kimmel Live! is facing an uncertain future after more than two decades on the air. Jimmy confessed he's been thinking about how he plans to bow out but worries some of his ideas might be a little "selfish".
He told Vulture: "It’s important to me to be responsible. I know I could go out in a blaze of glory and get a lot of applause for it, but it would be a very selfish thing to do."
Speaking about his contract only being renewed for a year, he added: "Everything is so tumultuous. That seemed to make sense. It’s definitely not how it’s gone in the past."
Kimmel - who debuted the chat show back in 2003 - made the remarks after fellow TV presenter Stephen Colbert aired his final episode of The Late Show last month after it was cancelled by CBS.
TV bosses claimed The Late Show was axed because of money issues, but Kimmel is adamant darker forces could be behind the decline of late night talk shows.
He told Vulture: "There are far more people watching late-night TV than there ever were, if you look at the number of views me and my colleagues get online every day and add in our linear-television ratings ... We’re not just dying of natural causes. We’re being poisoned ... "
Kimmel has found himself in hot water with US President Donald Trump's administration several times over the last few years, most recently when the comedian called First Lady Melania Trump an "expectant widow" days before an alleged assassination attempt the president at the White House Correspondents' Dinner in April.
During a parody of the event on Jimmy Kimmel Live! , he referenced the age difference between Melania, 56, and her 79-year-old husband, joking: "Our First Lady, Melania, is here.
"Look at Melania, so beautiful. Mrs Trump, you have a glow like an expectant widow ...
"You know, Melania's birthday is on Sunday. She's planning to celebrate at home the same way she always does, looking out a window and whispering, ‘What have I done?'"
In response, Melania fired back at the late night star - branding him a "coward" and accusing him of spreading "hate".
She stated: "His monologue about my family isn't comedy – his words are corrosive and deepens the political sickness within America ...
“People like Kimmel shouldn't have the opportunity to enter our homes each evening to spread hate ... A coward, Kimmel hides behind ABC because he knows the network will keep running cover to protect him. Enough is enough.
"It is time for ABC to take a stand. How many times will ABC's leadership enable Kimmel's atrocious behavior at the expense of our community."
President Trump later took to Truth Social to criticise the "shocking" joke, and called for Kimmel to be "immediately fired by Disney and ABC".
Kimmel defended what he described as his "very light roast", saying: "[It was] obviously a joke about their age difference and the look of joy we see on her face every time they're together."
He added: "It was a very light roast joke about the fact that he's almost 80 and she's younger than I am. It was not by any stretch a call to assassination and they know that I've been very vocal for many years, speaking out against gun violence in particular."
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was temporarily suspended following his comments about the death of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk.
Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social platform at the time: "Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED. "Congratulations to ABC for finally having the courage to do what had to be done. Kimmel has ZERO talent, and worse ratings than even Colbert, if that’s possible."
Less than a week later, ABC confirmed the return of the programme, prompting the president to ask why they wanted "someone back who does so poorly, who’s not funny, and who puts the Network in jeopardy by playing 99 [percent] positive Democrat GARBAGE".
