Late-night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel recently revealed that he had been contemplating retirement earlier this year before the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike changed his perspective. Kimmel shared this revelation during the premiere episode of Spotify‘s “Strike Force Five” podcast, which features a roundtable discussion among Kimmel and fellow late-night hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver.
Kimmel expressed his initial intention to retire around the time the writers strike began, but the experience of working during the strike made him reconsider. Despite his seriousness about retiring, Kimmel acknowledged that he now appreciates the opportunity to continue working. He also mentioned that he usually takes summers off but has been compensated in the past.
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Kimmel’s potential retirement was further complicated by a three-year renewal of his deal with ABC announced in September 2022. The podcast episode brought together the five late-night hosts to discuss their experiences during the writers strike, which has left their respective teams without work for over 120 days. The hosts are leveraging the podcast, titled “Strike Force Five,” to support their out-of-work staffers by donating the proceeds to them.
This unique alliance is a departure from the usual competition between the late-night shows. The hosts decided to collaborate as a way to address the challenges posed by the writers strike and support their teams. The podcast aims to raise awareness about the impact of the strike on their staff while also providing listeners with insights and anecdotes from their experiences.
Kimmel mentioned that the last writers strike in 2007-08 lacked effective communication between the late-night hosts, leading to various challenges. In contrast, the hosts of “Strike Force Five” decided to unite, discuss their issues, and create a platform to share their perspectives.
The premiere episode of the podcast also included interesting tidbits from the hosts’ personal lives. Kimmel recounted an offer from Ben Affleck and Matt Damon to pay his staff’s salaries during the strike, which he declined. Colbert shared a surprising family connection to a Nicaraguan dictator, Fallon revealed his mother’s brief stint as a prospective nun, and Kimmel and Colbert discussed their fishing trip.
As the WGA strike continues, “Strike Force Five” aims to provide listeners with an engaging podcast that sheds light on the challenges and experiences faced by late-night hosts and their teams during the work stoppage. The podcast episodes are available on Spotify and other major podcast platforms, offering audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the world of late-night television during a unique and challenging time.