History of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Timeline
Jimmy Kimmel Live! (JKL) is an American late-night talk show hosted by Jimmy Kimmel, airing on ABC. Premiering on January 26, 2003, it initially served as ABC's Super Bowl lead-out program. For its first decade, the show aired around midnight before moving to the 11:35 p.m. slot in 2013. Taped at the Hollywood Masonic Temple, it is an hour-long program. Although titled 'Live!', the show stopped regular live broadcasts after an incident involving uncensored language in 2004.
10 hours ago : Jay Leno Reflects on Jimmy Kimmel's 2010 'Tonight Show' Jokes and Perceived Humiliation.
Jay Leno revisited a 2010 'Tonight Show' interview with Jimmy Kimmel, admitting he felt humiliated by Kimmel's jokes and regretted not editing them. Leno acknowledged his mistake and accepted the consequences.
1962: Classic 1962 ABC ID used
Starting in late September 2020, upon Kimmel's return to the studio, a picture of the classic 1962 ABC ID, fully recreated to fit the widescreen format, alongside the animated version in the October 30, 2020 episode, was used. 1962 was the year when the ABC ID was originally created.
May 2002: Kimmel in negotiations as host
In May 2002, Jimmy Kimmel was in negotiations to host the talk show after Politically Incorrect was cancelled.
January 26, 2003: Show Debut
On January 26, 2003, Jimmy Kimmel Live! debuted on ABC as part of the lead-out programming for Super Bowl XXXVII.
2003: Debut of Jimmy Kimmel Game Night
From 2003 until 2022, Jimmy Kimmel Game Night aired as lead-in programming to ABC's coverage of the NBA Finals.
2003: Andy Milonakis takes over
In 2003, Comedian Andy Milonakis took over as the show's announcer from late 2003 to 2004.
2003: 20th Anniversary Episode Intro Evolution
The 20th anniversary episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! showcased the evolution of the show's intro, starting from the 2003 version.
April 23, 2004: Switch to taped broadcasts
On April 23, 2004, Jimmy Kimmel Live! switched from live to taped broadcasts after actor Thomas Jane's profanity-filled appearance caused issues with censoring.
2004: Coors Light sponsored musical performance
From 2004 to 2006, Coors Light sponsored most of the show's musical performances.
2004: Gaining popularity
In 2004, Jimmy Kimmel Live! gradually moved up in the ratings and became a fairly strong competitor in the late-night television landscape.
2004: Taped Broadcasts Begin
In 2004, Jimmy Kimmel Live! switched to taped broadcasts due to profanity issues during a guest appearance by Thomas Jane.
2004: Dicky Barrett takes over
In 2004, Mighty Mighty Bosstones & The Defiant singer Dicky Barrett took over as the show's announcer when the Bosstones went on hiatus.
January 2005: Show's set is replaced
In January 2005, the show's original set, at the TV studio in the Hollywood Masonic Temple, was replaced with a set that has a city in the background and the band performing on the right side of the stage.
June 2005: Show partners with Pontiac for concerts on 'Pontiac Garage' outdoor stage
In June 2005, Jimmy Kimmel Live! partnered with Pontiac for its concerts, held on the "Pontiac Garage" outdoor stage in Hollywood. The campaign included The Super Bowl XL Roadtrip in a Pontiac G6, and advertisements for the Pontiac G8.
September 12, 2006: Matt Damon Appears on Show
On September 12, 2006, Matt Damon appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! after numerous "apologies to Matt Damon" bits, leading to a comedic confrontation.
September 16, 2006: Lionel Richie's outdoor stage performances
On September 16, 2006, Lionel Richie outdoor stage performances used the 3D collage of Los Angeles and Hollywood which were created by artists Colin Cheer and Brian Walters.
December 17, 2006: Damon Incident Acknowledged as a Joke
On December 17, 2006, Jimmy Kimmel acknowledged in USA Weekend that the Matt Damon incident was a joke.
February 25, 2007: Set tweaked with 3D collage of Los Angeles and Hollywood
On February 25, 2007, the second set was tweaked when an illustrated picture of a city, was replaced with a 3D collage of Los Angeles and Hollywood. The 3D image was created by artists Colin Cheer and Brian Walters.
June 5, 2007: Guillermo Interviews Damon
On June 5, 2007, Jimmy Kimmel sent his sidekick Guillermo to the Ocean's Thirteen premiere to interview Matt Damon, continuing the running joke.
August 2, 2007: Guillermo as Jason Bourne
In the August 2, 2007, episode, Jimmy Kimmel announced that Guillermo was taking on the role of Jason Bourne for The Bourne Ultimatum, further antagonizing Matt Damon.
January 31, 2008: Sarah Silverman's music video about 'fucking Matt Damon'
In a segment aired on January 31, 2008, Sarah Silverman, Kimmel's then-girlfriend, appeared on the show and announced in a music video that she had been "fucking Matt Damon." Damon added to the joke by telling Kimmel, "Jimmy, we're out of time. Sorry."
2008: Segment wins Creative Arts Emmy Award
In 2008, the Sarah Silverman music video segment "I'm Fucking Matt Damon" won a Creative Arts Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
January 21, 2009: Death of Veatrice Rice
On January 21, 2009, Veatrice Rice, a parking lot security guard with her own segments on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, died from cancer.
April 14, 2009: Broadcast in HD
On April 14, 2009, Jimmy Kimmel Live! began broadcasting in 720p high definition.
September 2009: Airing of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Australia
In September 2009, The Comedy Channel in Australia began airing Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
October 2009: Bud Light replaces Pontiac as concert series sponsor
Beginning in October 2009, Bud Light (initially Bud Light Golden Wheat) replaced Pontiac as the Jimmy Kimmel Live! concert series sponsor.
2009: Friday Rebroadcasts Begin
From 2009 to 2012, the Friday episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! was a rebroadcast of a recent episode.
2009: The Bosstones performed live
In 2009, Mighty Mighty Bosstones performed live on Jimmy Kimmel Live! after becoming active again.
January 12, 2010: Kimmel parodies Jay Leno during Tonight Show conflict
On January 12, 2010, during the Tonight Show conflict, Kimmel impersonated Jay Leno. Kimmel started his monologue with "It's good to be here on ABC. Hey, Cleto, you know what ABC stands for? Always Bump Conan." He referenced Conan O'Brien's "People of Earth" letter and Leno called Kimmel to discuss the bit.
January 26, 2010: Uncle Frank's Anniversary Show Appearance
On January 26, 2010, Uncle Frank appeared on the seventh anniversary show of Jimmy Kimmel Live! during his hiatus due to illness.
March 2010: Jimmy Kimmel Live! replaced by The Tonight Show in Australia
In March 2010, The Comedy Channel in Australia replaced Jimmy Kimmel Live! with the return of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
2010: "The Handsome Men's Club"
In 2010, Jimmy Kimmel featured a clip called "The Handsome Men's Club" on his post-Oscar show, which ended with Matt Damon ejecting Kimmel and bursting into evil laughter.
August 23, 2011: Death of Uncle Frank
On August 23, 2011, Francis "Uncle Frank" Potenza, Jimmy Kimmel's real-life uncle and a security guard for the show, died at the age of 77.
October 27, 2011: New opening sequence introduced
On October 27, 2011, the show introduced a new opening sequence featuring Kimmel zip-lining through Hollywood.
2011: Screen Ratio Transition
In 2011, the screen ratio of the show transitioned from 4:3 to 16:9.
2011: Halloween Candy Prank Segment Started
Starting in 2011, every Halloween, Jimmy Kimmel Live! began asking viewers to take away their children's Halloween candy, videotape their reactions, and post them on YouTube with a hashtag. These segments have attracted criticism for potential promotion of emotional abuse.
March 2012: "Mean Tweets" Segment Premiered
In March 2012, Jimmy Kimmel Live! featured a segment called "Mean Tweets" with celebrities reading aloud actual tweets directed toward them by Twitter users. The song "Everybody Hurts" by R.E.M. played in the background.
2012: Friday Rebroadcasts End
From 2009 to 2012, the Friday episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! was a rebroadcast of a recent episode.
2012: Airing of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in Canada on Citytv
In 2012, Jimmy Kimmel Live! began airing on Citytv in Canada.
2012: Kimmel discusses Leno's prior interest in moving to ABC
In 2012, Kimmel revealed that Jay Leno had previously considered moving to ABC, potentially taking Kimmel's time slot. Leno had befriended Kimmel during these discussions, but the relationship ended after Leno stayed at NBC, leading Kimmel to feel used.
2012: Movie: The Movie Parody
In 2012, Matt Damon was part of the all-star cast assembled by Kimmel for his Oscars parody, a mock trailer for a non-existent blockbuster called Movie: The Movie.
January 8, 2013: Timeslot change
On January 8, 2013, Jimmy Kimmel Live! moved to the 11:35 p.m. ET/PT timeslot, switching places with Nightline on ABC's schedule to more directly compete with other late-night shows.
January 2013: Sony takes over sponsorship of the concert series
In January 2013, Sony took over sponsorship of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Concert Series.
January 2013: Friday Episode Retitled
Starting in January 2013, with the timeslot move, the Friday episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! was retitled Jimmy Kimmel Live! This Week and showed highlights from the week.
January 24, 2013: Matt Damon takes over hosting duties for 10th anniversary episode
For the 10th anniversary episode on January 24, 2013, Matt Damon took over hosting duties. The show was renamed "Jimmy Kimmel Sucks!" Damon took command, Kimmel was tied to a chair and gagged. Damon replaced Guillermo with Andy Garcia and Cleto with Sheryl Crow, and brought in Robin Williams to do the monologue.
August 2013: Guillermo promotes "Estupido" and "Ass Face"
In August 2013, Guillermo crashed Matt Damon's interview about "Elysium" to promote his own movie called "Estupido", the poster of which had an arrow pointing at Matt Damon. He also revealed another movie called "Ass Face". Matt Damon accused Guillermo of acting on Kimmel's orders.
February 2014: Matt Damon's appearance with The Monuments Men cast
In February 2014, Matt Damon was invited with the cast of The Monuments Men, but he sat in another seat. At the end of the show, a fake fire was activated when Kimmel asked Damon a question.
September 20, 2014: Citytv Tape Delays Show
Even after its move to 11:35, Citytv continued to tape delay Jimmy Kimmel Live! to midnight to maintain its hour-long late night newscasts as of September 20, 2014.
September 22, 2014: Move to CTV Comedy Channel
On September 22, 2014, Jimmy Kimmel Live! began airing on CTV Comedy Channel in Canada, initially in simulcast with ABC.
2014: AT&T takes over sponsorship of the concert series
In 2014, AT&T took over sponsorship of the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Concert Series.
January 2015: CTV Comedy Channel Tape Delays Show
In January 2015, CTV Comedy Channel tape-delayed Jimmy Kimmel Live! to midnight in favor of The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore.
January 2015: New opening created by Industrial Light & Magic
In January 2015, the show premiered a new opening, created by Industrial Light & Magic. The sequence begins with Kimmel turning on the lights of Los Angeles from the Hollywood sign.
February 2015: Interview with Viola Davis using Cisco's Jabber Guest
In February 2015, after the first-season finale of "How to Get Away with Murder", there was an interview with Viola Davis through Cisco's Jabber Guest, as she was unable to fly to Los Angeles from the East Coast due to weather issues. The interview was branded under Cisco Systems's telepresence technology.
March 2015: President Obama Participates in "Mean Tweets"
In March 2015, President Barack Obama participated in a "President Obama edition" of "Mean Tweets," during which he read tweets from people mocking his jeans and blaming him for the high price of beer. The Obama segment attracted more than 10 million views in one day.
April 2015: Mean Tweets Popularity
By April 2015, the "Mean Tweets" segment had gained immense popularity, with more than 38 million views on YouTube.
September 22, 2015: Return of Jimmy Kimmel Live! to Australian TV
On September 22, 2015, The Comedy Channel in Australia resumed airing Jimmy Kimmel Live!.
September 23, 2015: Premiere of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in India
Jimmy Kimmel Live! premiered in India with its 14th season on September 23, 2015, airing on STAR World India 12 hours after the U.S. broadcast.
2015: Samsung replaced AT&T as the segment's sponsor
In 2015, Samsung replaced AT&T as the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Concert Series sponsor.
2016: Matt Damon appears in Ben Affleck's coat and a Batman v Superman sketch
During Kimmel's 2016 post-Oscar special, Ben Affleck wore a large coat, and Matt Damon emerged from it. Damon was removed from the studio by Kimmel. Later in 2016, Damon appeared in a sketch about "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice", reprising his role as astronaut Mark Watney.
2016: Cîroc replaced Samsung as the segment's sponsor
In 2016, Cîroc replaced Samsung as the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Concert Series sponsor.
2016: Opening sequence modified after Kimmel grew a beard
In 2016, after Kimmel grew out his beard, the show's opening sequence was modified slightly to remove Kimmel's presence.
February 26, 2017: Kimmel renews feud with Damon at the Academy Awards
On February 26, 2017, while Kimmel hosted the 89th Academy Awards, he renewed his feud with Matt Damon. He criticized Damon's film "We Bought a Zoo" and had the orchestra play him off while Damon was talking. Damon praised Fallon for his speedy invitation process on "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon", which Kimmel poked fun of.
August 2017: End of Airing on The Comedy Network
Jimmy Kimmel Live! aired on The Comedy Network in Canada until the end of August 2017.
2017: Mercedes-Benz became the segment's sponsor
In 2017, Mercedes-Benz became the Jimmy Kimmel Live! Concert Series sponsor.
August 2018: End of Airing on CMT Canada
Jimmy Kimmel Live! aired on CMT Canada until August 2018 and has not aired on a Canadian channel since.
October 3, 2018: EAS Tone Misuse
On October 3, 2018, an episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! misused the Emergency Alert System (EAS) tone, leading to a fine by the FCC.
May 2019: Contract Extension
In May 2019, Jimmy Kimmel and ABC agreed to extend his contract to host Jimmy Kimmel Live! until 2022, marking the show's twentieth season.
August 15, 2019: FCC Fine
On August 15, 2019, ABC and Jimmy Kimmel Live! were fined $395,000 by the FCC for misusing the Emergency Alert System tone on an October 3, 2018, episode.
2019: Airing Across the Network
In 2019, Jimmy Kimmel Live! started airing across the ABC network on most stations at 11:35 p.m. ET/10:35 p.m. CT due to changes in affiliation agreements.
2019: Quiz show ordered
In 2019, a quiz show between different generations of family members was ordered. It was spun off into its own game show produced by Kimmel and Mark Burnett.
March 16, 2020: Production Suspended
On March 16, 2020, Jimmy Kimmel Live! suspended production due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
June 2020: Damon emerges from Kimmel's bedroom during COVID-19 pandemic
In June 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic while Kimmel was hosting from his house, Matt Damon emerged from one of Kimmel's bedrooms. Damon revealed he'd been there the whole pandemic and demanded to be on the show. Kimmel's wife was revealed to have been cheating on him with Damon again, resulting in Kimmel refusing to have Damon on the show.
June 18, 2020: Kimmel Announces Hiatus
On June 18, 2020, Jimmy Kimmel announced he was taking a hiatus from the show, with guest hosts filling in with 30-minute episodes until his return.
August 2020: Kids created a unique opening sequence during filming from home
From March to August 2020, during the time the show is filmed from his home, Kimmel's kids created a unique opening sequence.
September 2020: Introduction Quips Modified
In September 2020, Dicky Barrett modified his introduction quip, saying "And now, Jimmy Kimmel." to give a lighter tone.
September 2020: Classic 1962 ABC ID used upon return to the studio
Starting in late September 2020, upon Kimmel's return to the studio, a picture of the classic 1962 ABC ID, fully recreated to fit the widescreen format, was used.
September 21, 2020: Show Returns
On September 21, 2020, Jimmy Kimmel returned to Jimmy Kimmel Live!, which resumed taping from the Hollywood Masonic Temple without a studio audience and in a 60-minute format.
October 30, 2020: Animated version of 1962 ABC ID used
On the October 30, 2020 episode, the animated version of the classic 1962 ABC ID was used.
2020: Beat The Tonight Show in Total Viewers
For the 2020-21 television season, Jimmy Kimmel Live! beat The Tonight Show in total viewers.
January 2021: Returns to At-Home Format
In January 2021, Jimmy Kimmel Live! briefly returned to its at-home format due to a local increase in COVID-19 cases, following guidance from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works.
May 2021: Introduction Quips Modified
By May 2021, Dicky Barrett was still using the modified introduction quip, saying "And now, Jimmy Kimmel.".
May 2021: Simplified intro shows show's logo from multiple angles
Starting from May 2021, upon the audience returning, the simplified intro now shows the show's logo from multiple angles.
2021: 20th Anniversary Episode Intro Evolution
In 2021, the show's 20th anniversary episode showed an evolution of the show's intro from 2003 to the 2021 version, ending with the show's current logo.
April 1, 2022: Justin Timberlake impersonates Matt Damon on April Fool's Day
On April 1, 2022, Jimmy Fallon hosted in place of Kimmel for April Fool's Day. Fallon announced Matt Damon as a guest, but Justin Timberlake appeared wearing Boston Red Sox apparel and carrying a Dunkin' Donuts coffee cup, impersonating Matt Damon. Timberlake spray-painted "I <3 Matt Damon" on Kimmel's desk.
June 6, 2022: Ranked No. 1 late-night talk show
During the week of June 6, 2022, Jimmy Kimmel Live! ranked as the No. 1 late-night talk show for the two weeks in a row among adults 18-49.
July 7, 2022: Game Show Premiered
On July 7, 2022, the family quiz show spun off from Jimmy Kimmel Live! premiered, hosted by Kelly Ripa.
September 26, 2022: Ranked No. 1 late-night talk show among adults 18-49 in Brooklyn
For the week of September 26, 2022, when broadcasting from Brooklyn, New York, Jimmy Kimmel Live! ranked as the No. 1 late-night talk show among adults 18-49, beating The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
December 2022: Classic 1962 ABC ID removed
In December 2022, the picture of the classic 1962 ABC ID was removed.
2022: Discontinuation of Jimmy Kimmel Game Night
From 2003 until 2022, Jimmy Kimmel Game Night aired as lead-in programming to ABC's coverage of the NBA Finals.
2022: Return of Tape-Delayed Show to Citytv
In 2022, Jimmy Kimmel Live! returned tape delayed to Citytv in Canada.
2022: Lou Wilson becomes show announcer
In 2022, Lou Wilson replaced Dicky Barrett as the show's announcer, continuing the tradition of introducing the show's guests.
January 22, 2023: Ratings and Viewership
As of January 22, 2023, Jimmy Kimmel Live! was the 20th most popular show on ABC and 97th overall on TV, watched by 1,746,000 people, surpassing The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
September 2023: "Previously on Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Segment Introduced
Starting in September 2023, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" introduced a "Previously on Jimmy Kimmel Live!" segment before the title sequence, parodying recap segments of drama shows with a video on social media.
September 2023: Simplified intro now shows the sign being turned on after the 'Previously on Jimmy Kimmel Live!' segment
Starting in September 2023, the simplified intro now shows the sign being turned on after the "Previously on Jimmy Kimmel Live!" segment.
2023: Ranked No. 1 late-night talk show among adults 18-49
During the week of Jan. 16, 2023, Jimmy Kimmel Live! ranked as the No. 1 late-night talk show among adults 18-49, beating NBC's The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon by 21% and CBS' The Late Show with Stephen Colbert by 27%.
2023: NBA moved up its weeknight start times
In 2023 the NBA moved up its weeknight start times. the Kimmel shows were also made more impractical by a writers' strike entering its second month.
February 2024: "Previously on Jimmy Kimmel Live!" Segment Dropped
In late February 2024, the "Previously on Jimmy Kimmel Live!" segment was dropped from the program.
February 21, 2024: Kimmel Hints at Contract End
On February 21, 2024, Jimmy Kimmel hinted he may not renew his contract after it expires in 2026.
June 3, 2024: YouTube Channel Views
As of June 3, 2024, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! YouTube channel reached a cumulative of 13,676,433,211 views.
January 8, 2025: Production Suspended
On January 8, 2025, it was announced that Jimmy Kimmel Live! would suspend production due to the ongoing wildfires in the Southern California region.
January 2025: New Intro Debuted
In late January 2025, Jimmy Kimmel Live! debuted a new intro featuring a drone flyover of the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, Hollywood Boulevard, and outside the theater, along with other landmarks and Cleto and the Cletones performing on the set.
Mentioned in this timeline
Basketball is a team sport played on a rectangular court...
Dunkin' initially named Dunkin' Donuts is a multinational coffee baked...
Samsung Group is a South Korean multinational manufacturing conglomerate and...
Robin Williams was a highly acclaimed American actor and comedian...
California is the most populous US state located on the...
Sony Group Corporation is a Japanese multinational conglomerate with headquarters...
Trending
12 minutes ago Ugo Humbert faces Corentin Moutet at the Italian Open in a predicted match.
1 hour ago David Souter, Former Supreme Court Justice, Dies at 85: A Look Back
1 hour ago Bitcoin Reclaims $100,000 Amid Easing Trade Tensions; XRP Soars, Rally Risk?
1 hour ago Andreeva vs. Arango: Italian Open 2025 Preview, Predictions, and How to Watch Live
1 hour ago Putin and Xi Celebrate Victory Day in Moscow, Displaying Strong Russia-China Ties.
1 hour ago German Rapper Xatar Dead at 43: Hip-Hop Scene Mourns Loss
Popular
Jane Goodall is a renowned English primatologist zoologist and anthropologist...
Pope Francis is the current head of the Catholic Church...
Cristiano Ronaldo often nicknamed CR is a highly decorated Portuguese...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is an American businessman...
The Real ID Act of is a US federal law...
Russell Westbrook III is an American professional basketball player currently...