James Christian Kimmel has become a familiar face for millions of viewers as the host and executive producer of the show Jimmy Kimmel Live!. He is one of the few late-night hosts who manages to be silly with celebrity sketches and monologues. His comments often pack a political punch. Whether he’s roasting politicians, getting emotional about healthcare, or hosting the Oscars, Kimmel has become someone who is part comedian, part cultural commentator.
However, here’s the thing — the version of Jimmy Kimmel audiences know today is pretty far removed from where he started. Before he became the empathetic late-night figure shedding tears over school shootings or advocating for equality, Kimmel was busy co-hosting a comedy series that reveled in chauvinism. Yes, before he was making Americans cry, he was making them laugh — often at the expense of women. And if The Man Show premiered in today’s era of #MeToo and heightened cultural awareness, it’s safe to say it probably wouldn’t last.
Let’s dig into why Kimmel’s early TV years were so controversial, why those antics wouldn’t survive today, and how this complicated past makes his present-day activism so fascinating — and at times, uncomfortable — to watch.
Jimmy Kimmel’s Early TV Years Were Fueled by Sexist Gags and Crude Humor
If late-night Kimmel is the polished suit-and-tie version, early Kimmel was the guy shotgunning a beer at a frat party. From 1999 to 2003, Kimmel and Adam Carolla co-hosted The Man Show — a series that went out of its way to be provocative. The show was part sketch comedy, part stand-up, and fully committed to being as politically incorrect as possible. And by politically incorrect, we mean unapologetically sexist.
The premise itself was a wink to so-called “manly” humor. Each week, Kimmel and Carolla delivered skits that included everything from asking women on the street to “guess what’s in my pants” to having women known as The Juggies perform ridiculous tasks while wearing as little clothing as possible. Kimmel would even make jokes about his own wife, turning her into comedic fodder for the audience’s amusement.
One particularly eyebrow-raising bit had Kimmel attempting to guess the weight of women who were brought on stage, encouraging them to undress to make his job “easier.” The punchline came when he told one young woman (via The New Daily),
I’m not even going to guess your weight. You know why? I’ve got an erection.
If that aired today, Twitter (X) would probably shut down from outrage overload. Looking back, Kimmel himself has admitted that he cringes at some of the things he did — though maybe not for the reasons you’d expect. Speaking to Vulture, he said,
I look back at every show I’ve ever done and cringe. But yes, of course, and not necessarily for the reasons you think. I just think, ‘Oh, we could’ve done that better’… We did a lot of funny stuff. We also did a lot of stupid stuff.
And as for whether he’d ever reboot The Man Show today, Kimmel seems to know exactly what would happen. He further said while speaking to Vulture,
It would absolutely result in a s–tstorm, and there’s absolutely nothing better for ratings than a s–tstorm.
You have to give him credit — at least he’s honest. If The Man Show came out in 2025, it would probably get canceled during the opening credits.
Those Old Antics Wouldn’t Survive Today, as His Recent Suspension Shows
Kimmel’s transformation into a politically engaged late-night figure hasn’t kept him entirely out of trouble. Case in point — his recent on-air comments about conservative activist Kirk’s death, which sparked a full-blown media firestorm.
During a Monday night broadcast of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Kimmel spoke about flags being flown at half mast for Kirk and then mocked Donald Trump’s reaction to the tragedy. He said (via BBC),
This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he calls a friend. This is how a four-year-old mourns a goldfish.
That line set off a furious backlash. Brendan Carr, a Trump-appointed FCC commissioner, slammed Kimmel’s comments as “the sickest conduct possible” and publicly demanded an apology.
Carr warned during an appearance on The Benny Show, “We can do this the easy way or the hard way.“ He further said (via CNBC),
These companies can find ways to change conduct and take action, frankly, on Kimmel, or there’s going to be additional work for the FCC ahead. They have a license granted by us at the FCC, and that comes with it an obligation to operate in the public interest.
Just hours later, Nexstar Media — one of the largest TV station owners in the country — announced it would pull Jimmy Kimmel Live! “for the foreseeable future,” calling the remarks “offensive and insensitive at a critical time in our national political discourse.”
The fallout didn’t stop there. Sinclair, ABC’s largest affiliate group, chose to replace Kimmel’s slot with a special remembrance program for Kirk. Meanwhile, Donald Trump, who is never one to stay quiet, used the moment to take another jab at Kimmel, saying (via USA Today) he was “fired because he had bad ratings.” He further wrote on Truth Social,
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.
Hollywood, predictably, was divided. Actor Ben Stiller called the suspension “not right” on X.
This isn’t right. https://t.co/mVJ8308w1k
On the other hand, Jean Smart wrote on Instagram,
I am horrified at the cancellation of Jimmy Kimmel Live. What Jimmy said was FREE speech, not hate speech.
Others argued this was simply accountability, not cancel culture. As Barstool Sports founder Dave Portnoy put it (via Instagram),
If Kimmel got canceled for sh-t he did on ‘The Man Show,’ that would be cancel culture. But when a person says something that a ton of people find offensive, rude, dumb in real time and then that person is punished for it, that’s not cancel culture. That is consequences for your actions.
Apparently, free speech is free — until it costs a prime-time slot.
Despite This Past, Jimmy Kimmel Often Takes Stands on #MeToo and Equality in Hollywood
It’s hard to deny that Jimmy Kimmel today wears a very different hat — or suit jacket — than he did back in his Man Show days. In fact, he’s positioned himself as one of late-night’s more outspoken progressive voices.
At the 2018 Oscars, he openly supported Hollywood’s reckoning with sexual harassment, declaring (via BBC):
We can’t let bad behaviour slide anymore. What happened with Harvey Weinstein and what’s happening all over was long overdue … The world is watching us. We need to set an example, and the truth is, if we are successful here, if we can work together to stop sexual harassment in the workplace, women will only have to deal with harassment all the time at every other place they go.
That wasn’t a one-off moment. On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, he often uses his monologues to take a moral stance on issues from gun control to LGBTQ+ rights. After the 2018 Parkland school shooting, he told his viewers (via YouTube):
I agree this is a mental illness issue. Because if you don’t think we need to do something about it, you’re obviously mentally ill.
Kimmel himself has argued that his history actually gives him more credibility when he speaks up on these topics. He said (via Vulture),
I remember having a conversation with Ellen once, and she was really upset because — I don’t remember specifically what was going on — there was some kind of anti-gay movement going on. I remember telling her that the country has come a long way on gay rights. Not that I was explaining anything to her, but to hear someone like me talk about equal rights for homosexual people hits harder than when people hear her talk about it. To hear the guy from The Man Show talk about that in an inclusive way – I have some credibility.
Nothing says “growth” like going from beer chugging to preaching gun control.
His Old TV Persona Raises Doubts About His Moral Stance Today
And here’s where the tension lies — some people just can’t forget the past. Critics argue that Kimmel’s early career makes him an awkward spokesperson for equality. Megan Garber of The Atlantic summed it up best:
Kimmel, precisely because of his background – precisely because he once produced a show named Crank Yankers, under the banner of Jackhole Productions; and precisely because he once starred in an elaborate and casually homophobic musical sequence titled I’m F—ing Ben Affleck; and precisely because he owes his fame to ‘a joyous celebration of chauvinism’ – makes for a particularly awkward ambassador of the #MeToo message.
Garber further wrote,
Kimmel may have matured before Americans’ eyes; it is an evolution, however, built on his start as an irreverent prankster, ogling and giggling and refusing to take anything—politics, women, himself—seriously.
And fans on X, as always, didn’t hold back either. One wrote,
Can someone please remind @jimmykimmel that he started his career on “The Man Show” that ended each show with exactly what he is preaching against.
Can someone please remind @jimmykimmel that he started his career on "The Man Show" that ended each show with exactly what he is preaching against #hypocrite
One person wrote on Quora regarding the show. He said,
The Man Show, which first aired on Comedy Central in the late-1990s, was more sexist and crude than many behaviors that male celebrities have been accused of in recent years.
For some, Kimmel’s evolution is inspiring. For others, it’s the very definition of Hollywood hypocrisy. Perhaps the truth lies somewhere in the middle — a man who genuinely matured but still carries the baggage of where he came from.
You can leave The Man Show, but apparently, The Man Show never leaves you.
And that’s the paradox Jimmy Kimmel lives with. The late-night host who tells America to be better once made his name telling jokes that, today, would get him instantly canceled. At the end of the day, Jimmy Kimmel is a walking example of how messy public growth can be.
He has gone from the guy who turned trampolines into punchlines to the guy getting emotional about healthcare bills on live television. For some, that’s proof that people can evolve. For others, it’s proof that he’s just Hollywood’s latest hypocrite. Maybe both are true. Either way, Kimmel’s past isn’t going anywhere — and neither, it seems, is he.
So, what’s your take on Jimmy Kimmel? Do you think the suspension was fair, or was it a bit too much? And how do you feel about the contrast between his past behavior and where he stands now? Drop your thoughts in the comments.
