James Christian Kimmel, known simply as Jimmy Kimmel, was born on Nov. 13, 1967, in Brooklyn, NY to devoutly Catholic parents who made sure that Kimmel served as an altar boy – a repressive gig that would later inform his raucous comic persona. Despite his NY roots, Kimmel grew up primarily in Las Vegas, NV, chasing his early dream of becoming an artist, with a focus on drawing. As a teen, Kimmel was a huge David Letterman fan – even having Letterman-themed parties. After learning that Letterman began his broadcasting career in radio before branching out to humorous weatherman, Kimmel decided to pursue comedy – but first, like his idol, on radio. Kimmel landed his first on-air job in Phoenix, AZ by writing bits for Mike Elliot and Kent Voss of the Power 92 morning team. Tired of Arizona’s omnipresent sun, Kimmel moved to ever-rainy Seattle, WA to work with Kent Voss on a morning show called "The Me and Him Show." Kimmel got some flack for writing a parody song about the owner of the Seattle Mariners, entitled "George Argyros is a Mighty Schmuck." Not long after, Kimmel was fired when the station changed formats.

Fed up with constant precipitation, Kimmel’s followed his next radio job to Tampa, FL, working for Kent Voss again. And similarly, Kimmel was fired when the station changed format. The ever moving Kimmel went where the work was – first, to Palm Springs, CA, doing the morning show there (where he convinced a young Carson Daly to drop out of college and become his intern), before taking a more lucrative job in Tucson, AZ with his old acquaintance Mike Elliot on the KRQ morning show. The two were brought in to raise the station's slumping ratings, and while they did climb – it was not fast enough for management's taste. They were fired along with producer Chris Patyk – a movie which helped plunge KRQ's ratings even faster.

Getting tired of hop-scotching around the country with little to no job security, Kimmel turned an eye to his long-held dream of TV. Ironically, it was his final radio gig on the Los Angeles-based station KROQ, where Kimmel’s television dream would take root. As "Jimmy the Sports Guy," Kimmel was an integral part of the popular Kevin & Bean morning show for five years. A KROQ boxing stunt called "The Bleeda in Reseda," where Kimmel boxed "Michael the Maintenance Man" (another KROQ personality), teamed Kimmel up with his new trainer, Adam Carolla, co-host of the station's popular "Loveline" sex advice program.

While still appearing on KROQ, Kimmel began co-hosting Comedy Central's "Win Ben Stein's Money," (1997-2002) – his first television break. Centered around the brainy titular actor and former speechwriter, Ben Stein, the show was an unusual one, pitting host Stein against successful contestants in the final rounds of competition. In the midst of this veritable brain trust, Kimmel served as the audience's link, quick with a quip, but relatable, with seemingly normal intelligence and average TV looks. This "average Joe" image and fast-on-his-feet comic prowess helped make the show a success and won Kimmel a surprising Daytime Emmy as Best Game Show Host in 1999. A certifiable Comedy Central draw, Kimmel was recruited to host other programming on the network, including the movie specials "Canned Ham: Deconstructing Harry" (1997) and "Canned Ham: Senseless" (1998).

With a successful burgeoning television career, Kimmel left KROQ to work with new comedy partner Carolla on Comedy Central’s new unapologetic variety show offering, "The Man Show." The unabashedly hedonistic and inane program featured beer-swilling hosts and audience members, buxom house dancers on trampolines, and segments almost "Our Gang"-esque in their loutish anti-female scope. Characterized by its “all-in-good-fun” approach to bad taste, many laughed along with it and although some were appalled, the program captured a sizable loyal audience, doing quite well for the network and winning Kimmel a sizeable fan base. Trailing only Comedy Central's “South Park” (1997- ), “The Man Show” made Kimmel and his buddy Carolla at one point, the coolest guys on TV.

Riding the “Man Show” good will, Kimmel began doing segments on the Fox Sports West pre-game shows. His game picks made him the #1 sports prognosticator on TV, and the audience enjoyed his bits, with a distinct ratings climb when Kimmel was on air. However, as ever, his constant ridiculing of the hosts put him in hot water with the other sportscasters.

Kimmel leveraged the success of “The Man Show” to land a production deal, producing a variety of new shows for Comedy Central. The most popular teamed Kimmel with his Jackhole Industries production partners Carolla and Daniel Kellison, to launch the animated primetime comedy, “Crank Yankers” (2002 - ). The unique show, which featured comedians making prank calls to real people, was delivered on screen though the use of Muppet-like puppets. Kimmel served as executive producer and lent his voice to several of the “Crank Yankers” characters. One of the most popular comics to lend their voice was future Kimmel girlfriend, bawdy comedienne, Sarah Silverman – a woman who could hold her own with all the boys.

After ABC failed to woo David Letterman away from CBS to create its own late night talk show franchise, the network ironically chose to tap Letterman-lover Kimmel to helm their latest midnight entry. So, after aptly following a Superbowl broadcast in January, 2003, Kimmel’s long-held dream was realized with the premiere of “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” With a studio set at Hollywood Boulevard's famed Pantages Theater, Kimmel's show capitalized on its L.A. locale, built on the host's predilection for pranks and reveled in such off-beat bits as the loveably clueless red carpet coverage provided by Kimmel's uncle Frank Potenza, a retired NYPD cop now employed by the talkfest as a security guard. Neither as razor-sharp snarky as Letterman, as slickly showbiz vanilla as Jay Leno nor as nerdily loopy as Conan O'Brien, Kimmel managed to find his own footing quickly as an Everyman with a devilish bent for trickery and practical jokes. “Jimmy Kimmel Live” became the cool alternative for viewers as anxious to see their boy interview Maxim cover girls as they were to see him ask rappers like Snoop Dog if there really was gin in his juice.

ABC's confidence in Kimmel's appeal to a young, hip audience also landed him successive hosting gigs on the network's American Music Awards in 2003 and 2004. In addition to hosting and writing duties on his own show, the ever-busy Kimmel found time to executive produce shows for his old buddy Carolla on "The Adam Carolla Project" (TLC, 2005- ), as well as "The Andy Milonakis Show" (MTV, 2005- ).