Guillermo Rodríguez’s story seems like something out of a Hollywood script. Two decades ago, this Mexican man was a security guard at the Jimmy Kimmel Live! studio, but he also washed dishes and waited tables at a hotel. To save time and money between his three shifts, he often slept in the studio parking lot.
The turning point came in 2003 when he was discovered sleeping in the car of Dicky Barrett, the show’s announcer. Frightened, Guillermo tried to apologize, but far from being fired, his fate changed forever. Dicky told the story to Jimmy Kimmel, who, with brilliant intuition, decided, “We have to put this guy on the show.”
Thus began a career that has taken him to red carpets, Super Bowls, and tequila parties with his unique style: charming humor, broken English, and extravagant outfits that have made him unmistakable.
Guillermo Rodriguez’s American dream
But his story transcends comedy. Guillermo is from Zacatecas, a U.S. citizen since 2005, a lover of Mexican food, and the owner of two Chihuahuas.
Overnight, the security guard became a key figure in show business. Although he still retains his nominal title of guard, today he is a star. He is the charismatic host of “Guillermo’s Hollywood Round-Up,” where he delivers the juiciest celebrity gossip.
Guillermo’s life is a perfect testament to how perseverance, humor, and an unexpected opportunity can completely rewrite the American dream.
His impact is such that during Hispanic Heritage Month in 2023, the Los Angeles City Council recognized him as a “treasure” of the community, highlighting his crucial role in Latino representation at a time of underrepresentation.
Guillermo Rodriguez and Jimmy Kimmel speak onstage as Keep Memory Alive hosts star-studded lineup at annual “Power Of Love” gala at MGM Grand Garden Arena on Feb. 22, 2025 in Las Vegas.
In a recent episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, while actor Diego Luna used the microphone to address Trump’s immigration policies, Luna dedicated an affectionate joke to him: “I was going to work with the most talented, the most handsome. … Guillermo, damn it.” To which the comedian responded with his characteristic wisdom: “Be yourself. You got this.”
At the end of his monologue, Luna added: “If my words upset you, know that Guillermo wrote it all.”
ABC confirmed on Sept. 17 that it had taken Jimmy Kimmel Live! off the air “indefinitely” amid backlash from comments the host made on Sept. 15, about the assasination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
“The MAGA gang (is) desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said. “In between the finger-pointing, there was grieving.”
“This is not how an adult grieves the murder of someone he called a friend,” he added. “This is how a 4-year-old mourns a goldfish.”
Rodriguez was seen “dejected” in an alley behind the show’s studio moments after ABC suspended the show, according to photographs circulating online.
Guillermo’s life is a perfect testament to how perseverance, humor, and an unexpected opportunity can completely rewrite the American dream.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: The story behind Guillermo Rodríguez, sidekick to Jimmy Kimmel
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