Jimmy Kimmel‘s resilience whilst in the line of President Donald Trump’s fire helped net him a “rare honor” from the Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild.
The late-night host will be the latest recipient of the President’s Award at the 63rd ICG Publicists Awards in March, the guild announced on Wednesday morning.
Held by the International Cinematographers Guild, IATSE Local 600, which merged with The Publicists Guild in 2002, the annual ceremony honors publicists, film and television publicity campaigns, unit still photographers, and entertainment journalists.
The President’s Award, however, is not handed out annually but “only on occasion of extraordinary circumstances,” and the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host proved worthy of the honor given his headline-making year.
The Publicists of the ICG specifically cited Kimmel’s response to ABC’s suspension of Jimmy Kimmel Live! in September, noting the host “stood firm on his right to free expression” in the face of what was “widely regarded as politically motivated censorship.”
The guild “chose to bestow this rare honor on Kimmel in recognition of his strength of character, his resilience, and his unwavering adherence to principle in the face of adversity,” the announcement reads.
Beyond Kimmel’s support of free speech, ICG National President John Lindley noted Kimmel’s support of the JKL production team during the six-day standoff. “He stood by his staff and crew during his suspension,” said Lindley, “and we celebrate his commitment to his work and to his team.”
With more than two decades on the air, Kimmel is the longest-running current late-night host in the United States.
Kimmel is the first recipient of the President’s Award since 2017 (when BWR Public Relations co-founder Nanci Ryder received the honor), and only its fifth recipient since 2007. Kimmel is expected to attend the awards luncheon on Friday, March 13, 2026.
“We’re thrilled to present this award to Jimmy Kimmel, whose return to the air meant so much to his audience and whose presence at the International Cinematographers Guild Awards means so much to us,” Lindley said.
