Jimmy Kimmel is now one of the biggest celebrities in late night television with Jimmy Kimmel Live on ABC, but his big break into comedy TV came back in 1999 with The Man Show on Comedy Central. The show, which he cohosted with Adam Carolla, was full of sketches, live events, beer, and busty women. It made a name for Kimmel during his hosting stint from 1999-2003, and he recently weighed in on how he believes the show (which ended in 2004) would do if it aired nowadays:
I think not only would it be possible, I think it would be more popular than it ever was. Especially in this world, because there's a certain portion of society that is outraged by the outrage, and I think that they would probably find it to be exhilarating.
Television and culture have both changed a great deal since Jimmy Kimmel left The Man Show behind, but Kimmel believes the audience for such a series would be even bigger than it was the first time around. The show that was considered by some to be offensive at the time for its portrayals of women and some of its impersonations would likely be considered offensive by even more in recent years; nevertheless, Kimmel believes that those are who "outraged by the outrage" would be fans of such a series.
It's certainly true that nothing like The Man Show exists on high-profile mainstream television really exists anymore, so any TV viewers looking for The Man Show's brand of arguable "outrage" wouldn't have anywhere else to go. It's worth noting that Jimmy Kimmel and Adam Carolla were lampooning and mocking stereotypical attitudes toward women and manhood as much as they were showcasing them, and modern audiences might not interpret the show as it was meant to be interpreted.
If some viewers saw the comedy as being played 100% straight rather than self-mocking to a degree, Jimmy Kimmel might not get the audience he'd hypothetically want. That said, Kimmel was clear in his chat about The Man Show during an appearance on Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen that a revival of the series is not in the works:
No, I would never do it, no.
Jimmy Kimmel is likely more well-known these days for his opinionated monologues (which he does not regret despite certain costs) and the health scare his family experienced with his son than anything else. He was open about his son's circumstances, and many were deeply touched by his emotional speeches about what was happening and how people were helping the family through their difficult time. Who could have imagined this of Jimmy Kimmel back when he co-hosted The Man Show for the first time in 1999?
To catch Jimmy Kimmel on the airwaves nowadays on a distinctly non-Man Show series, tune in to Jimmy Kimmel Live! weeknights at 11:35 p.m. ET on ABC. If you still need some primetime viewing options, check out our midseason TV premiere guide.
