Where Martin Short goes, Jiminy Glick often follows—whether the Only Murders in the Building star likes it or not. This week they’re both in Los Angeles, where Short’s bloviating alter ego is scheduled to hone in on guest hosting duties on Thursday’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!
The guest host’s surprise guest host was announced by Short during Monday night’s monologue, when Short explained that “as grateful as I am to be hosting this show,” an absolutely immovable dermatologist appointment was preventing him from being in the studio later this week. “That’s why I asked my best friend in the business, Hollywood’s top entertainment reporter Jiminy Glick, to be my guest host on Thursday night,” Short shared.
For anyone watching who thought this might be a joke: it’s not. LateNighter confirmed with the Jimmy Kimmel Live! team that Short, as Glick, will indeed be the one keeping Kimmel’s chair warm on Thursday night.
While Glick may be a veteran interviewer, he’s also a perfectionist when it comes to his craft. So he’s been stretching his late-night hosting muscles, beginning with a turn in the host’s chair on Real Time With Bill Maher on Friday, June 21 (where he interviewed Maher himself about his new book, What This Comedian Said Will Shock You).
On Monday night, Glick once again proved he’s in a class of his own when it comes to his interview style, which he tried out on Bill Hader—despite admittedly hoping for a bigger name. “I was hoping for an A-lister, but I’m thrilled to have you, Bill,” Glick said by way of introduction (before checking he had Hader’s name right), then jumped right into his first question: “Bill Hader is not really a star’s name, is it?”
Eventually, Glick admitted that it was another SNL alum who he had hoped to interview: Chris Kattan, “Because I’m a big fan of Mango.” Other things Glick admitted to being a fan of: Mike Pence, who apparently shares a birthday with Hader; the HBO comedy Arliss; washing his face like a cat; and a nonstop supply of glazed doughnuts.
The Glick character was born in 1999 as part of The Martin Short Show, Short’s one-season syndicated talk show. Two years later, Glick got his very own Comedy Central series, Primetime Glick, which ran for three seasons (and, in an interesting turn, featured Bill Maher as its first guest).
Glick has popped up in many other places over the years. In 2004 he got his own film, Jiminy Glick in Lalawood; he also played a part in Short’s Broadway show Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me, which ran from 2006 to 2007. Between guest-hosting for Maher and Kimmel, it seems like 2024 could be the Summer of Glick.
