Kimmel Narrowly Beats Stewart for Late-Night Gig: A Surprising Twist in TV History

In a surprising turn of events, Jimmy Kimmel nearly lost out on hosting an ABC late-night talk show to Jon Stewart back in the early 2000s. At the time, ABC was looking to replace Bill Maher's "Politically Incorrect" with a more traditional late-night format. Stewart, who was already a late-night favorite thanks to his work on "The Daily Show," was close to securing the gig. However, ABC chairman Lloyd Braun and president Bob Iger ultimately decided to go with Kimmel, who was then hosting Comedy Central's "The Man Show."

According to Kimmel, the decision came down to one key factor: cost. As Iger bluntly told Kimmel, "Well, you were cheaper." Kimmel admitted he was quite confused by the network's choice, given his relative inexperience compared to Stewart. Nevertheless, "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" debuted in 2003 and, despite a rocky first year, went on to become a late-night staple.

Elsewhere in the entertainment world, actress Mariska Hargitay revealed that she had auditioned for a role on the hit sitcom "Friends" but was ultimately unsuccessful. However, a psychic's prediction that comedy wouldn't make her famous led Hargitay to pursue more dramatic roles, which ultimately led her to the long-running crime drama "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit" just six months later.