Jimmy Kimmel's 2025: A Year of Highs, Lows, and Leaving It All on the Stage

Hold onto your controllers, folks, because late-night legend Jimmy Kimmel just closed out 2025 with an emotional hit right to the heart power-up! During the final Jimmy Kimmel Live show of the year, Hollywood's beloved night owl pulled back the curtain on a year packed with turbulence and triumph.

On the night of December 18, against the shimmering backdrop of California's starry skies, Kimmel kicked off with sincerity. "Thank you for joining us here at our home in beautiful Hollywood, California, for what is our final show of the year," he began, laying it bare, "And this one, this has been a strange year. It's been a hard year." Kimmel, never one to hide behind a pixelated mask, showed his vulnerability with a tear-choked voice.

But gamers know resilience, and Kimmel powered up mid-monologue! "We’ve had some lows. We've had some highs. For me, maybe more than any year in my life. But on behalf of all of us — I'm crying already. I'm sorry." With a deep breath — think picking up a respawn — he added, "On behalf of all of us at the show, I just want to say that we appreciate your support, your enthusiasm. And not just for watching this year — you literally pulled us out of a hole, and we cannot thank you enough, personally."

2025 was no walk in the park for Kimmel. ABC benched his show for a week back in September, following some fiery comments about the tragic incident involving right-wing figure Charlie Kirk. This move lit ablaze the debate on free speech, ultimately leading Disney to revoke the suspension in a surprise twist worthy of a plotline from your favorite RPG!

The political drama didn't end there, as none other than President Donald Trump repeatedly lobbed verbal fireballs at Kimmel, advocating for the show's cancellation after the shocking drop of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert earlier this year. But just like our favorite open-world heroes, Kimmel persevered.

In his parting words for the year, Kimmel reflected on the intense pressure of his role. "There are a lot harder jobs than this, but this is not an easy job to do, and sometimes it feels like we're spinning our wheels," he admitted. "You see so many awful and destructive acts, all this damage we inflict on ourselves, on purpose, and it can make you feel crazy trying to wrap your head around these things that are so clearly wrong." But let’s face it, Kimmel’s resilience gives us all an XP boost, reminding us that leveling up is never easy!

Fear not, Kimmel fans, because the show is set to return in January 2026. Will we get more epic tales from realm of celebrity gossip, perhaps even a revisit with Kate Beckinsale and her daughter's boyfriend's egg saga!? Stay tuned!

Lex Briscuso is a film and television critic, and just like any dedicated gamer, they're always on the lookout for the next big thing. Follow their journey on Twitter at @nikonamerica