Jimmy Kimmel Takes Two-Month Break with Guest Hosts Filling In

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel is stepping away from his show for two months, starting the week of July 6. According to an ABC press release, a lineup of guest hosts will fill in during his absence. The hosting duties will kick off with Tiffany Haddish, followed by Anthony Anderson, Ike Barinholtz, Colman Domingo, and Jelly Roll.

Kimmel, addressing his audience on “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” announced his break with humor. He referred to it as voluntary, contrasting it with the prior suspension he experienced. This break follows the controversy from last year that temporarily pulled his show off the air after remarks about Republican responses to Charlie Kirk’s death.

“I hope you’re paying attention this summer, because I will be taking the next two months off — this time voluntarily,”

Kimmel humorously enlisted Rosie O’Donnell, a known critic of Donald Trump, as one of the guest hosts. He commented on President Biden’s fondness for O’Donnell, quipping a request to the president to avoid any blunders during his absence.

“And as a special treat for our commander in chief, I asked one of his all-time favorites, Rosie O’Donnell, to be here to keep the hits coming,” Kimmel said. “You’re welcome, and all I ask in return, Mr. President, is that you don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone.”

The previous year, “Jimmy Kimmel Live” faced backlash and was off-air for nearly a week following the host’s criticism about some Republicans’ handling of Charlie Kirk’s passing. FCC Chair Brendan Carr even threatened regulatory repercussions, sparking debates over free speech and protests outside key locations like Walt Disney Studios in Burbank and ABC’s New York headquarters.

Kimmel returned to his show on September 23, showing genuine emotion as he addressed the suspension. He clarified that he did not intend to make light of Kirk’s tragic death and defended the importance of free speech. That episode captured more than six million viewers, highlighting the tension between humor and sensitive topics.

“This show is not important,” Kimmel stated on his return. “What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”