Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel (55) and actor Matt Damon (52) have had a playful rivalry in front of the camera for years, but they are friends behind the scenes. As Kimmel now reveals, Damon even wanted to do him a special service of friendship. Together with his colleague and buddy Ben Affleck (51), he wanted to pay Kimmel’s authors. Because of the strike in the USA, they have to forego their salary.
Jimmy Kimmel reported on the generous gesture on the new podcast “Strike Force Five”. Kimmel runs the podcast together with late-night colleagues Jimmy Fallon (48), Seth Meyers (49), Stephen Colbert (59) and John Oliver (46). Proceeds go to the striking writers. The US talk shows “Jimmy Kimmel Live”, “The Late Show” and the NBC programs “Tonight” and “Late Night” are currently on pause, with reruns being shown instead.
Damon and Affleck each agreed to pay Kimmel’s writing team for a week. But the moderator refused. “I felt like they weren’t responsible for that,” Kimmel said on the podcast. His colleagues joked whether the Hollywood stars’ offer was transferrable. “Couldn’t you say yes and give us the money,” says Stephen Colbert.
Jimmy Kimmel also revealed in “Strike Force Five” that he was considering retirement just before the strike began. But now, in times of enforced inactivity, he is learning to appreciate work again. Just a year ago, broadcaster ABC extended Kimmel’s contract by three years.
The WGA authors’ union has been on strike since May 2023 in order to achieve better working conditions for production companies and streaming providers. Not only films and series, but also TV shows are affected by the industrial dispute. In July, the actors’ union SAG-AFTRA got involved. The film and TV world has been idle in the USA ever since.
