James Christian Kimmel, the American television personality, better known as Jimmy Kimmel, is a classic example of the fruits of migration. He went from being an altar boy in Las Vegas to reigning over late-night television, and with a wit so sharp that it ended up cutting the thread of his own career.
His beginnings were humble. Raised in a family of Italian immigrants from Ischia, his maternal grandparents came to the U.S. in 1883 due to an earthquake on the island, marking a new chapter in the family’s history. Kimmel was born on Nov. 13, 1967, in Brooklyn and grew up in Las Vegas. His childhood was steeped in Catholic tradition, and he even served as an altar boy.
What to know about Jimmy Kimmel’s career
His destiny was not at the altar, but on the radio. Inspired by the voices coming out of his transistor radio, especially that of a young David Letterman, Kimmel began interning at local radio stations at age 16. His talent was natural: irreverent humor and a total lack of filter that, although it cost him an early dismissal for losing sponsors, was unstoppable. Kimmel was fired from Seattle’s KZOK-FM in 1990 after on-air stunts led to the station losing sponsorship, including an $8,000 contract with the Seattle Mariners.
After winning an Emmy for “Win Ben Stein’s Money” and becoming a household name with “The Man Show,” ABC handed him the keys to late-night TV in 2003. “Jimmy Kimmel Live” was born, and with it, a new era. Kimmel was popular for candid interviews, viral segments and satirical humor that spared no one. He earned the title of “the biggest bastard on television,” a nickname he wore with pride and that earned him both admirers and powerful enemies.
He was chosen to host the Oscars four times (2017, 2018, 2023 and 2024), an honor reserved for the industry’s most prestigious hosts. In a gesture that mixed heritage with protest, he obtained Italian citizenship in 2018, citing his deep dissatisfaction with policies of the Trump administration.
Why was Jimmy Kimmel suspended?
And it was precisely his enmity with Donald Trump that led to the suspension of his TV show. Recently, during his monologue, Kimmel made what some say were harsh comments following the murder of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
“The MAGA crowd has been desperately trying to portray this guy who murdered Charlie Kirk as someone other than one of their own and doing everything they can to score political points with it,” Kimmel said.
The reaction was a tsunami. Donald Trump responded furiously, and the criticism amplified when Brendan Carr, chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, accused Kimmel of spreading “malicious lies” and hinted at the possibility of sanctions against ABC and its parent company, Disney.
Faced with economic and media pressure, the network decided to take action. On Wednesday, ABC announced the indefinite suspension of “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” bringing an abrupt end to 22 years of his show.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Who is Jimmy Kimmel? What to know about suspended host
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