Jimmy Kimmel had a mild case of envy when he, along with three of Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘s executive producers, went on stage to accept the Critics Choice award for Best Talk Show.
“FIFA Peace Prize would have been better, but this is nice too,” he quipped, referencing the award created for President Donald Trump by the football organization.
Kimmel went on to thank “our friends at ABC,” listing top executives, such as Dana Walden and Rob Mills, as well as “Sam Altman, who now owns my voice and face. Please don’t do anything weird with it.”
Disney last month signed a blockbuster $1B deal with OpenAI, on which Altman is co-founder and CEO, handing over its signature characters to generative AI video app Sora.
Kimmel referenced Jimmy Kimmel Live!‘s abrupt yanking off the air in September following monologue comments he had made about the aftermath of the Charlie Kirk murder. Amid a public outcry, the show was reinstated days later.
He thanked his longtime agent and PR rep “for all the towels and cigarettes that they chewed and smoked during a tumultuous year.”
Kimmel also thanked “all the writers and actors and producers and union members, many of you who are in this room, who supported us, who really stepped forward and reminded us that we do not take free speech for granted in this city or in this country. Your actions are important, and we appreciate them.”
In addition to JKL, the nominees in the Best Talk Show category included follow network late-night shows, The Daily Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, the departing Late Show with Stepohen Colbert and Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen, as well as YouTube’s Hot Ones.
In a nod to the uncertain future of late-night TV shows, which are facing possible extension, Kimmel addressed Hot Ones host Sean Evans. “Congratulations to Sean. One day he will be the only one left.”
Kimmel saved his last thanks for his most frequent target on his show, President “Donald Jennifer Trump, without whom we would be going home empty handed tonight.” (Subbing different monikers for Trump’s middle initial is a long-running gag in Kimmel’s late-night monologues.)
“Thank you, Mr. President, for all the many ridiculous things you do each and every day,” he said. “It’s been a banner couple of weeks, and we can’t wait to get back on the air tomorrow night to talk about them.”
After a holiday break, JKL returns Jan. 5.