Jimmy Kimmel says he was “intent on retiring” before Hollywood hits

CNN
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Jimmy Kimmel was ready to give up as the host of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” but it appears the host has changed his mind.

“I was very intent on retiring around the time the strike started,” Kimmel said Wednesday on the first episode of his new podcast on Spotify. “Fifth Strike Force” which he hosts with fellow late night TV personalities Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Jimmy Fallon and Stephen Colbert.

“Now I realize it’s nice to work,” Kimmel added.

In 2022, ABC announced that Kimmel had signed a three-year contract extension to remain as host and executive producer of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” so regardless of his desire to retire, he’s under contract through 2025.

Television and film writers for the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike in May after the union was unable to reach a new contract agreement with Hollywood studios and broadcast companies.

As a result, all the late-night shows that relied on a book to write monologues and comedic segments disappeared in May. SAG-AFTRA, which represents 160,000 actors and artists, went on strike in July after also being unable to reach a new contract agreement with the major studios. Wages, residual flows, and the use of AI remain central issues in this predicament.

“The reason we do this is because we support our cast members financially,” Kimmel said on the podcast, adding, “Everyone who works on a TV show is out of work right now, so all the money we make working on that show goes to them.

Strike Force Five launched on Wednesday, and will be available on most major podcast platforms. Spotify said the series will run for at least twelve episodes, with each host serving as a rotating moderator.