Happy 22nd Anniversary, Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Jimmy Kimmel ‘s late-night show is celebrating its birthday, and the host is using the anniversary to highlight L.A.’s heroes.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! debuted 22 years ago last night—January 26, 2003—with a lineup that featured three megastars (then and now): George Clooney, Snoop Dogg, and Coldplay.

In an Instagram post shared Sunday, Kimmel and his sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez were photographed holding up “22” balloons while perched in front of their studio’s neon El Capitan Theatre sign. (Kimmel’s show has originated from the building that neighbors the 1920s movie palace since its debut, with the studio being christened the El Capital Entertainment Centre.)

With wildfires having devastated swaths of Los Angeles in recent weeks, Kimmel also used the occasion of his show’s birthday to thank California’s firefighters.

“This year, we are especially grateful for our neighbors, our city, the dedicated men and women who keep us safe,” Kimmel wrote in a separate Instagram post. “And those of you who follow us and watch our show.” The accompanying photo depicted the exterior of the show’s studio at the El Capitan Entertainment Center, adorned with a banner thanking first responders.

“Thank you for 22 years,” the host concluded. “We can’t believe it either.”

There’s likely some truth to Kimmel’s disbelief. When Jimmy Kimmel Live debuted in 2023, it was met with low expectations and poor reviews. Kimmel would later tell Variety he was “totally unprepared”—and sick, in fact—for his first episode.

The production’s planned practice of serving alcohol at the tapings didn’t last past that first show, following an audience member getting sick during the show.

1 Comment

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  1. Sandra C Cuthbert says:

    Happy 22nd-anniversary-jimmy,
    I just wanted to say how much I love and enjoy your show and someone turn me on to your Aunt chippy I don’t know how I didn’t catch that I absolutely love that woman she reminds me of Me. God bless you and I hope you have 22 more years.