As Jimmy Kimmel’s time at Disney draws to a close, it has exposed a fraught relationship behind the scenes.
As Page Six previously reported, the longtime late-night host is expected to end his show later this year after 24 years.
And sources tell Page Six he’s partially to blame because he’s “never played well in the sandbox.”
For example, he’s seldom appeared on the company’s ABC shows like “Good Morning America” and “The View” because, we’re told, “he doesn’t want to be a shill.”
“And when he does, he’s a complete a–hole,” according to one source.
The insider said he expects Disney shows to “prop up the stuff he was doing.” “But he would never reciprocate,” they said, “He would never have anyone on from ABC News… People would get upset.”
Multiple sources shared similar stories, adding the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” star seldom invited New York talent to his show when he brings it to Brooklyn every year. “He’s unmanageable,” another source said and pointed out how he roasted Disney brass at the upfronts in May. “It was uncomfortable to say the least,” they said.
Other insiders pushed back, saying Kimmel welcomed “66 synergy guests” since October of last year, noting his May appearance on “GMA,” followed by appearances on “Live with Kelly and Mark,” and his obligatory taped messages to ABC’s local affiliate stations. Additionally, they pointed out, Kimmel has hosted the Oscars, which airs on ABC, numerous times.
And even though they insist he’s been a team player for all of his 25 seasons, our first source jeered: “He’s being a better corporate partner because he was on thin ice.” They referred to Kimmel’s antagonistic relationship with President Donald Trump that got him temporarily pulled from the airwaves last year.
We’re told Kimmel felt unprotected by the network during the episode, despite being one of the longest-running late night hosts in TV history. An industry insider also told us that CBS cancelling “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” opened the door for ABC to follow suit with Kimmel.
After Page Six reported in September that his contract would not be extended after 2027, a spokesperson described our information as “inaccurate.” But when asked about the future of Kimmel’s show during a conversation with Bloomberg’s Screentime at the end of the month, president Dana Walden said the network is “trying to make sense of the business while also honoring a deep partnership.”
“I love Jimmy. We have a great friendship. He’s close to a number of people at Disney. We’re trying to work through it and make sense of, what does Jimmy want. What’s the right thing to do, and what’s the right thing for our business,” she said.
A spokesperson for Kimmel and ABC Entertainment did not comment on this story.
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