Kimmel Discusses His Monday Night Football Ban
Jimmy Kimmel by Bob D'Amico/ABC
Imagine finding out you're fired by reading about it in the
New York Times. That's just what happened to ABC late-night talk-show host
Jimmy Kimmel, who kept colleagues and fans laughing as a guest on the long-running sports show
Monday Night Football on Oct. 15.
"I guess the executive producer was upset with some jokes I made on the air, and I'm still not sure which ones, but he announced to the
New York Times that I was banned from
Monday Night Football," says Kimmel. "I was surprised - I was just a guest [commentator] - this is the first time I've been fired from a job I didn't have."
Kimmel adds, "I don't feel I owe anyone an apology; quite the reverse, actually. Everyone seemed really happy in the booth and [then] I left and then I read in the
New York Times that he's banned me."
"That is synergy in action," jokes Kimmel on learning about his ban through the newspaper. "He told the newspaper before he told me - he still hasn't talked to me. I heard from them. That is synergy in action."
Even though an apology isn't in the works, Kimmel tells TV Guide, "Perhaps I'll have words with him. We'll see."
Kimmel will go bicoastal next week, flying back and forth daily between New York and Los Angeles, as he steps in for
Regis Philbin on
Regis & Kelly in the mornings, and flies back to Los Angeles do to his own show.
- Reporting by N.F. Mendoza
