Jimmy Kimmel is the man. Now, we don't mean the man in the "Michael Jordan" sense of the word, but in that Kimmel is every man. He represents the most primitive male in all of us; the brutally honest guy whose love for beer is only trumped by his love for conversations about breasts and masturbation. With the ability to bring out the real guy in all of us, The Man Show disgusted some but delighted many.

Though we may not admit it in front of our lady friends, something fundamental about Jimmy Kimmel's shtick appeals to us. We watch his comedy for the same reasons we tune in to Howard Stern once in a while or watch other shock-value TV shows. The combination of models, toilet humor, alcohol, and sports cannot be ignored and we must admire Kimmel for bringing all of these things together successfully. Many other personalities try to mask pandering to this lowest common denominator, but he attacks these sleazy topics head-on. And most importantly, he's not ashamed of it.

Now that Kimmel has extended his reach to a major network, many thought he would have to tone down his act. In a style that is unique to him, Kimmel has kept up the chatter that keeps censors on high alert. Kimmel is no sellout and continues to push the envelope in an entertaining way. Party on, brother.


For those who think Jimmy Kimmel is simply "in character" on television, forget about it. He is a wisecracking fiend off the air as well, projecting the same brash, brutally honest, funny-guy image that we all love. The reason Kimmel is able to get away with so many TV don'ts is because his approach is nonchalant, a natural progression from his easygoing personality. Like many others cut from the same crude cloth, he does not give a four-letter word about what people think of his work, knowing that he appeals to our basic male needs.

Of course, he does take time off from cursing, drinking and talking about his anatomy while at home with his two children. Still, it is his celebration of the things men hold dear that makes him one of the most popular comedians (and late-night hosts) around.

Ironically, it is the absence of any discernible talent that Kimmel claims led him to TV. He's just a regular guy who speaks his mind. To get to where he is, though, you need some sort of skill, and he possesses a creative, rebellious mind coupled with comic wit and impeccable timing. Other than that, Kimmel would be the first to admit that he's a lucky man who gets paid to do the things other men perform on a daily basis, namely talk about women, athletes and alcohol.


Most women resent Kimmel more than anything else. His dirty comments and degradation of women tend to annoy rather than attract the fairer sex. Whittled down to his fundamental skill (comedy), he should technically be a big hit with the ladies, as humor is often viewed as a major turn-on. Although he doesn't score too well with female audiences, the models on The Man Show sure seem to enjoy his company.


After bouncing around several radio stations doing morning commentary, Jimmy Kimmel found a place on Los Angeles' KROQ-FM as "Jimmy the Sports Guy." During his stint as the popular comedian/sportscaster, he met and became close friends with Adam Carolla, a fellow KROQ personality.

As his spot on KROQ became more and more popular, he landed the job of co-host and announcer on Comedy Central's game show, Win Ben Stein's Money in 1997. His scathing remarks shocked audiences and boosted ratings, making WBSM one of the highest rated new game shows. During his gig on the successful game show (for which he won an Emmy in 1999 as Best Game Show Host), Kimmel lent his voice to "Corky the Dog" in the gross-out film, Road Trip.

Spurned on after being told that he needed to appeal to women more, Kimmel decided to do just the opposite and came up with the idea for The Man Show. ABC took a look at the show but balked at its racy content, and Comedy Central consequently picked it up. Bringing Carolla on board as co-host, The Man Show took off in 1999, just as WBSM was peaking. Male audiences ate up the controversy and vulgarity, and Kimmel became a big-time star.

As The Man Show continued to gain momentum, Kimmel appeared on FOX NFL Sunday to make his picks on the day's football games and crack jokes. He exercised more clout when he came up with Crank Yankers in 2002, an animated comedy on which he serves as executive producer and the voice of several characters.

Now granted with a late-night show in competition with Jay Leno and idol David Letterman, Kimmel is riding a strong wave of popularity. His new brand of shock-talk has tapped a new audience sure to support him no matter the bumps in the road.


Kimmel has our dream job. He gets to talk to celebrities, drink at work, freely ogle women, and recite fart jokes without fear of reprisal from disgusted family members. His involvement in sports further heightens our admiration for this comedian and writer, and the late-night gig is only icing on the cake. Way to go, Jimmy!


Kimmel and his casual look fit the late-night mold perfectly (in fact, his style is pretty similar to his ABC time slot predecessor, Bill Maher). Polo shirts and sports jackets seem to be his favorite, with the occasional trendy outfit thrown into the mix. His fashion sense is perhaps the only aspect of his life that he keeps on the straight and narrow...



That we could be introduced to The Man Show's famous Juggy girls. If that doesn't work out, then we wouldn't mind serving as "co-host of the week" on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

quote



"It's funny how all of this has worked out -- I wasn't popular in high school, but now every drunken guy in the United States wants to be my pal. They all want to buy me a shot, and pretty soon I'm throwing up."
-Jimmy Kimmel

biography



On the 13th of November 1967, future comedian James Kimmel was born in Brooklyn, New York. His parents moved to Las Vegas when he was quite young, and he grew up loving comedy in the gambling capital of the world. With influences like David Letterman, John Belushi and Woody Allen, there was little doubt that Kimmel wished to be involved in entertainment in some capacity or another.

His first foray into the business came in the radio industry. Stations in Seattle, Tampa Bay, Tucson, and Phoenix hired and then subsequently fired Kimmel, either for structural reasons or because his edgy humor had gone too far. Still, he persevered and found a solid job at Los Angeles' KROQ-FM. On the popular Kevin and Bean Show, Jimmy was known as "Jimmy the Sports Guy," a character who got increasingly more airplay thanks to his rants and sportscasts.

what's behind door number 1, jimmy?

Earning recognition with this role, executives at Comedy Central asked Kimmel to be the audience's link on the new game show, Win Ben Stein's Money, which pitted contestants against the cerebral actor at the end of the show. Kimmel's "average Joe" image helped make the show a success and won him a Daytime Emmy as Best Game Show Host in 1999. WBSM became hugely popular and made it easier for Kimmel to host other shows on the cable network, including a couple of movie specials.

Kimmel quit the radio gig he had kept up and, in 1999, teamed up with buddy Adam Carolla, who also worked at KROQ. They put their heads together and, in defiance of a negative comment sent Kimmel's way, dreamed up the concept for The Man Show, a quasi-talk show devoted to all things male. Though it was deemed too racy for ABC, Comedy Central picked it up.

bouncing up the ratings

With its anti-feminist theme, models galore and beer-drinking hosts and audience, The Man Show became an instant hit, trailing only Comedy Central's South Park in the ratings department. Those who realized the jokes were all in good fun ate it up, while others didn't let the chauvinistic subjects slide. Still, a large fan base was formed and Kimmel and Carolla became the coolest guys on TV.

Kimmel was a busy man outside of The Man Show as well. He was the voice of "Corky the Dog" in the 2000 film Road Trip and signed on to do "Jimmy's Picks" during FOX's NFL pregame show every Sunday, in which he frequently picked on former football greats Terry Bradshaw and Howie Long. Further cementing his reputation as a hilarious man's man, Kimmel served as Roastmaster of The New York Friars Club Roast in 2002, with Hugh Hefner as the subject.

In 2002, Kimmel teamed up with his Jackhole Industries production partners Adam Carolla and Daniel Kellison, to launch the animated primetime comedy, Crank Yankers, which features comedians making prank calls (delivered though the use of puppets) to real people. Kimmel serves as executive producer and lends his voice to several of Crank Yankers' characters. He was even credited with some writing for the 2002 Grammy Awards and appeared in the Lil' Bow Wow film, Like Mike.

heeeeere's jimmy!

A testament to Kimmel's skill, ABC signed him to a late-night deal in 2002, with the post-Super Bowl debut of Jimmy Kimmel Live. With guest co-hosts, an abundance of alcohol and the type of comedy that made him famous on cable, Kimmel has shaken and stirred the world of late night that has been dominated by idol David Letterman and NBC's Jay Leno.

With two young children to keep in line, Kimmel is not all dirty jokes. He is a man who knows when to increase his testosterone-driven rants to overdrive at the right time. This keen sense of humor and timing serve as a guarantee that Kimmel has a long career ahead of him.

What else do you need to know?