Jimmy Kimmel’s Dream Guest? Banksy (No, For Real)

Jimmy Kimmel Live! has been on the air for more than 21 years, but there are still a few guests the host has yet to sit down with.

Kimmel’s talk show debuted on ABC in January 2003, giving just about everybody in Hollywood enough time to drop by the show. (Even Matt Damon.) He noted as much in an interview with ET’s Kevin Frazier, who asked the ABC host which first-time guests he’d still like to have on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

“There’s not that many people who haven’t been on the show,” Kimmel replied.

But a few names did come to mind. “You know, Madonna’s never been on my show,” Kimmel pointed out, admitting that he doesn’t know why she hasn’t appeared.

“The Pope has never been on the show,” he added. (Unfortunately for the late-night host, he may have already missed his chance at chatting up Pope Francis.)

While those are two of culture’s more familiar faces, Kimmel revealed his real dream guest is someone whose entire career is based on anonymity.

“Banksy is somebody that I would like,” Kimmel said. “You know, the mysterious artist.”

That booking would likely be difficult to lock down, as the acclaimed street artist has kept their identity secret. While there’s been a ton of speculation as to who the secretive street artist might be since his debut in the early ’90s and rise to the mainstream in the mid-2000s, Banksy has never revealed himself officially.

“I would love to figure out some way to have Banksy on the show,” Kimmel said. “That would be fun for me.”

For now, there’s no set time limit on how long Kimmel has to book Banksy on Jimmy Kimmel Live!. While the host has debated retirement in recent years, nothing is set in stone.

“As far as when am I retiring, I’ve decided to stop saying,” he told ET. “Because I always say something, and then it turns out to be different than the decision I make.”

JKL debuted in January 2003, making Kimmel TV’s longest-serving current late-night host, and the program ABC’s longest-running late-night show. He’s currently signed to the show through the 2025-2026 season.

1 Comment

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  1. Leo says:

    Robin Gunningham.

    “Banksy” didn’t start out intending to hide his real name from absolutely everyone.

    People here in LA have known his real name for decades.