For all the shows that get canceled and conclude each year, TV audiences have long been able to find comfort in the longevity and relatively unchanging nature of late night talk shows and their hilarious hosts. But nothing lasts forever, especially in entertainment, and Jimmy Kimmel is aware of it, having expressed his thoughts on late night TV’s potentially fading away in the near future. Does that mean he’s finally ready to retire from his ABC show? Erm…not exactly.
While it’s true that Jimmy Kimmel Live! will once again be part of the upcoming TV schedule, with Kimmel back in the saddle once his summer vacation is over, the former Man Show host has been as vocal as ever about his retirement plans in recent years. That said, he’s aware that it’s easier to complain when there’s work to be done, and is also very easy to miss all that work whenever the show is on hiatus. And another big factor involved is the mystery of what comes next.
When Jimmy Kimmel popped by the podcast Politickin’ with Gavin Newsom to chat it up with the California governor and co-hosts Marshawn Lynch and Doug Hendrickson, the occasional go-to Oscar host was asked if he would be able to easily transition away from hosting, or if he would always feel the need to surround himself with busywork. Here’s how he responded:
You know what? I will have a hard time when it’s over. . . . It worries me, and that’s part of the reason why I keep going. Each time I think, ‘Well, this is gonna be my last contract,’ and then I wind up signing another contract — it’s because I fear that day, that Monday after my final show, when it’s like, ‘Okay, now what am I gonna do?’
A fear of the unknown has no doubt kept many thousands of people, if not millions, sticking to jobs that they’ve hated or felt unchallenged by, without any clear future options inspiring the drive to make changes. Especially when it comes to menial jobs far away from the glitz and glamor of Hollywood, the idea of stepping away from systematic paychecks and normalcy can seem impossible to embrace.
Of course, whenever financial problems aren’t an issue, which is the case for Kimmel and his lucrative contracts, that choice isn’t quite as live-or-die. But that doesn’t mean he’s in a position where gobs of jobs are just waiting for him to sidestep his current duties. As he put it:
Because there aren’t a huge number of options for late night hosts after the shows are over. People think of you as a late night talk show host, and it’s not like you’re suddenly going to start starring in films.
It seems like a silly thing for a celebrity to say they are worried about landing jobs, but Kimmel does have a point. Late night hosts obviously don't tend to be the ones leading big budget-blockbusters, but they're also not fronting any big-screen comedies or scripted TV shows. Hosts like Jay Leno, David Letterman and Conan O'Brien exited their respective shows on high notes, and then did what? Went on to other projects where they seved as hosts and presenters.
That said, Jimmy Kimmel did some acting and TV work before making the leap to late night, as it went for The Tonight Show's Jimmy Fallon, so it's possible he'll be able to make the switch into another gig without too much of a hassle. (Just don't expect to see him garnering fan complaints as Oscar host again this year.) Or maybe late night talk shows will cease to exist before Kimmel ever truly convinces himself to walk away. Whichever way it goes, Guillermo will be waiting.
