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lite.cnn.com - on gopher - inofficial | |
ARTICLE VIEW: | |
Jimmy Kimmel’s evolution from the ‘The Man Show’ guy to beloved | |
late-night host caught in a firestorm | |
By Lisa Respers France, CNN | |
Updated: | |
8:54 PM EDT, Thu September 18, 2025 | |
Source: CNN | |
One of the most significant moments for Jimmy Kimmel on his late-night | |
comedy show wasn’t funny at all. | |
In a 2017 monologue, Kimmel tearfully shared a private battle. His then | |
newborn son, William John Kimmel or “Billy,” was born with a | |
congenital heart issue that was discovered after his delivery. | |
“It’s a terrifying thing,” “You know, my wife is back in the | |
recovery room, she has no idea what’s going on and I’m standing in | |
the middle of a lot of worried looking people – kind of like right | |
now – who were trying to figure out what the problem is.” | |
At only a few days old, Billy underwent what would be the first of | |
multiple surgeries to repair his heart. Kimmel decided to speak about | |
his family’s experience, he said, to advocate for better healthcare | |
in the United States. | |
He has been a Republican-led attempt at the time to repeal and replace | |
The Affordable Care Act, posting the Senate switchboard number on | |
screen during his show and urging his audience to call on their elected | |
officials to reject the bill. | |
“Tell them this bill doesn’t pass your test,” | |
Just before the 2020 presidential election, Kimmel again urged his | |
audience to get involved. | |
“I want to bring us back to focus on something we can’t afford to | |
forget, and that is health care,” he said. “The vast majority of | |
this country believes that health insurance should cover Americans with | |
preexisting conditions.” | |
“Americans take care of one another,” Kimmel told his audience. | |
“Vote with your heart.” | |
From ‘The Man Show’ to unofficial Hollywood mayor | |
Kimmel has seemingly worn his own heart on his sleeve ever since, a | |
surprising evolution, perhaps, for a comedian who grew up in Las Vegas, | |
Nevada and found fame with a juvenile, occasionally crass brand of | |
humor. | |
“The Man Show,” which aired on Comedy Central from 1999-2004, | |
featured Kimmel and comedian Adam Carolla satirizing and celebrating | |
stereotypical male interests. Kimmel moved to ABC to start his | |
late-night show in 2003, while Carolla would go on to become a | |
podcaster and vocal supporter of President Donald Trump. | |
Trump and Kimmel, however, have long been mutual critics. At the , for | |
example, Kimmel read a Truth Social post from Trump in which he called | |
on ABC to “get rid” of the host. | |
“Well, thank you President Trump. Thank you for watching, I’m | |
surprised you’re still – isn’t it past your jail time?” the | |
comedian said, prompting cheers and laughs from the audience. | |
Kimmel extended his current contract in 2022. It is set to expire in | |
May. | |
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is currently the only broadcast network | |
late-night show based in Los Angeles. It films at the historic El | |
Capitan Theater on Hollywood Boulevard. | |
His vocal support for the city he calls home has made him a bit of a | |
“mayor” in Hollywood. After the California wildfires early this | |
year, during which he and many of his employees had to evacuate, Kimmel | |
used his show to communicate the impact on the region. | |
“It’s been terrible,” “Everyone who lives in this city knows | |
someone - most of us multiple people - family, friends, colleagues, | |
neighbors whose house has burned down.” | |
‘A most wonderful fellow’ | |
That type of love is now being returned. | |
Friends and fans are rallying around Kimmel in the wake of amid | |
controversy over his recent comments about reaction to Charlie Kirk’s | |
death. | |
The decision has been met with backlash in the entertainment community. | |
Actor and director Jason Bateman, who is a close friend of Kimmel’s, | |
expressed dismay in an | |
“It’s troubling to say the least and we all have to really take a | |
moment and figure out how we feel about this type of thing, especially | |
people doing what you do,” Bateman told co-host Craig Melvin. “You | |
can’t just stand by and let stuff like that go on.” | |
Bateman added that by “stuff” he was referring to “Jimmy getting | |
his show pulled for freedom of speech.” | |
Another star, actor Henry Winkler, “@jimmykimmel his humor, his | |
insights are important to keep showing us who we are. AND he is a most | |
wonderful fellow.” | |
It’s also being viewed by some as a dangerous inflection point in | |
American democracy. | |
“I see we are at the passive participation of authoritarianism | |
now,” “God help us all.” | |
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