Jimmy Kimmel is stepping away from his late night desk for the summer, and he’s handing the reins to a lineup of guest hosts that includes someone who’s been a vocal critic of President Trump for years.
Kimmel told viewers this week that he’ll be taking a two month break from hosting “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” This time, though, the time off is entirely his choice.
“I hope you’re paying attention this summer, because I will be taking the next two months off, this time voluntarily,” he said, poking fun at his own suspension from the show last year, according to NBC News.
A Rotating Cast of Guest Hosts
Kimmel won’t be leaving the show without a plan. According to an ABC press release, guest hosts will begin filling in starting the week of July 6. Tiffany Haddish kicks things off, followed in subsequent weeks by Anthony Anderson, Ike Barinholtz, Colman Domingo, and Jelly Roll.
Then there’s Rosie O’Donnell, whose addition to the list comes with a pointed bit of humor aimed at the American president. “And as a special treat for our commander in chief, I asked one of his all-time favorites, Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming,” Kimmel said, according to NBC News.
He didn’t stop there. “You’re welcome, and all I ask in return, Mr. President, is that you don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone,” Kimmel added.
Looking Back at Last Year’s Suspension
The joke about his past suspension wasn’t just a throwaway line. “Jimmy Kimmel Live” was actually pulled off the air for nearly a week last year following his September 15 broadcast, during which Kimmel criticized how some Republicans responded to the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Those comments triggered a swift and forceful backlash from prominent Republican figures, and FCC Chair Brendan Carr went as far as threatening regulatory action over the remarks. The show’s temporary removal also became a flashpoint for a broader debate about free speech, sparking protests outside Walt Disney Studios in Burbank, California, as well as outside ABC’s headquarters in New York.
An Emotional Return to the Air
Kimmel eventually returned to the air on September 23, and he didn’t shy away from addressing what had happened. Visibly emotional, he clarified what he had and hadn’t meant with his earlier comments.
“You understand it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said, referring to Kirk. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
That return episode drew more than 6 million total viewers.