Home / Arts and Entertainment / Kimmel Narrowly Beats Stewart for Late-Night Gig: A Surprising Twist in TV History
Kimmel Narrowly Beats Stewart for Late-Night Gig: A Surprising Twist in TV History
22 Oct, 2025
Summary
- Jimmy Kimmel nearly lost late-night talk show job to Jon Stewart
- Kimmel was "cheaper" than Stewart, according to ABC chairman
- Mariska Hargitay auditioned for 'Friends' but found fame on 'SVU' after a psychic's prediction
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."
