One thing is for sure: People are passionate about their late-night television. Some were dedicated David Letterman fans while others opted for Jay Leno. Now, there are two names (well technically one) in late-night television that you definitely have heard of. In the Jimmy Fallon versus Jimmy Kimmel debate, you may already have your stance. However, stay tuned while we run down some of their idiosyncrasies that might make you change your mind (or the channel).
The Similarities
Besides having the same first name, there are a lot of similarities between these two hosts. To start, they were both born in Brooklyn. They also both started out as comedians: Fallon began working on SNL while Kimmel was on Comedy Central. Both Jimmies got their shows around the same age. Kimmel was 35 when he started “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” in 2003, and Fallon became host of NBC’s “Late Night” at age 34 in March 2009, after Conan O’Brien left to take over “The Tonight Show.”
Fallon Favorites
Jimmy Fallon is, without a doubt, incredibly talented and funny. His show’s energy is wholesome and upbeat, just like him. Fallon is also musically talented and often incorporates this into his shows. One of his most popular sketches is lip-sync battles, where he invites celebrity guests to fight it out with their chosen songs. A popular duel occurred between him and Emma Stone in which she belted out “The Hook” by Blues Traveler. A recent favorite is when Fallon reunited the cast of “Saved by the Bell” to recreate some of their best moments. Mario Lopez broke out his dance moves, Mark-Paul Gosselaar called a timeout, Tiffani Thiessen was in full cheerleader gear and Elizabeth Berkley got “so excited.” Viewers loved the nostalgia and the laughter it brought. If you’re looking for amusing television and an entertaining, sometimes musical, performance, then Fallon is for you.
Keen on Kimmel
Jimmy Kimmel has seen amazing success in his entertainment career, specifically through his show. His segments are hilarious and dedicated, such as his running joke where he ends the show by saying they ran out of time for the last guest, Matt Damon. This faux-feud has spurred quite a few other bits, including parody music videos with special guests like Sarah Silverman and Ben Affleck. Another seasonal fan favorite is his compilation videos of Halloween pranks sent in by fans. The videos take place the day after Halloween, and parents tell their kids, “I ate all your Halloween candy,” and film the reaction as hilarity ensues. In one of his more recent segments, Kimmel has celebrities read aloud mean tweets that strangers have said about them on Twitter. Then he sets their readings to the song “Everybody Hurts” by R.E.M. These videos get mass amounts of views on YouTube.
In the face-off between the Jimmies, it really comes down to personal preference. If you can’t decide, record them both so you don’t miss out on any of the laughs.
