NEWSJimmy Kimmel Hints He's Ending His Talk Show: 'I Think This Is My Final Contract'
Feb. 21 2024, Published 11:05 a.m. ET
Is Jimmy Kimmel retiring from his late-night hosting job?!
While chatting with the Los Angeles Times, the comedian, 56, reflected on how far he's come in his career.
"I'm as surprised as anyone could be in this position — even to have a really good job is a surprise to me," Kimmel, who is hosting the upcoming Oscars ceremony, said.
"It's hard to yearn for it when you're doing it," he continued of hustling in Hollywood. "Wednesday night, I was very tired and I had all these scripts to go through — I had to revise and rewrite all these pitch ideas for the Oscars — and I was literally nodding off onto my computer."
Jimmy Kimmel hinted he will walk away from his talk show soon.
"In those moments, I think, 'I cannot wait until my contract is over,'" Kimmel continued. "But then, I take the summer off or I go on strike, and you start going, 'Yeah, I miss the fun stuff.' I think this is my final contract."
Clearly, it's something Kimmel has been toying with for a while.
"I hate to even say it, because everyone’s laughing at me now," he shared. "Each time I think that, and then it turns out to be not the case. I still have a little more than two years left on my contract, and that seems pretty good. That seems like enough."
The host then said he's not sure what his life will look like if Jimmy Kimmel Live! ends, but he's hopeful he'll spend his time working on some passion projects.
The star said he has a 'lot of hobbies' he'd like to focus on if the show ends.
"I have a lot of hobbies — I love to cook, I love to draw, I imagine myself learning to do sculptures," Kimmel said. "I know that when I die, if I’m fortunate enough to die on my own terms in my own bed, I'm going to think, 'Oh, I was never able to get to this, and I was never able to get to that.' I just know it about myself."
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From hosting several awards shows to having a successful late-night show, Kimmel is grateful for how successful he's been in showbiz.
Jimmy Kimmel hinted this will be his 'final contract.'
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The comedian said he doesn't love being 'the center of attention.'
"If you think about it, I did everything I could to avoid being the sole guy," he said. "I love being involved in other people’s projects. I never had an urge to be the center of attention, and I still don’t. It’s not in my DNA."
"I won't be doing stand-up after I stop doing the [talk] show — I am uncomfortable with it," Kimmel concluded. "I don't like my birthday. I love being a team player."
