Jimmy Kimmel 'Fell In Love' With John Oliver During Strike Force Five

By Andrew Sanford | TV | January 18, 2024 |

By Andrew Sanford | TV | January 18, 2024 |

The late-night field used to be very competitive. Part of that was because the shows were fighting for the same audience. The studios that put them on were behemoths and didn’t mind screwing people over to get their way (something that hasn’t changed entirely). Also, Jay Leno was out there being Jay Leno, with all the bad that comes with that. Now, things are a lot different, making for a much friendlier environment.

Look no further than the podcast Strike Force Five. Seth Meyers, John Oliver, Stephen Colbert, Jimmys Fallon and Kimmel got together to raise money for their out-of-work writing staff members. The podcast was a blast, as it would often go off the rails. All the hosts would pick on each other incessantly. They would take shots at themselves. It was a wonderful get-together of people with unique life experiences.

The podcast brought the five men closer together. John Oliver visited Jimmy Kimmel on his show this week, and it was revealed that the men were not very close before the show. I was legitimately surprised. I honestly thought, based solely on how they talked to each other, that they were old friends. Instead, they are just an example of “fast friends.” This interview shows that off perfectly, as the two crack each other up for 14 straight minutes.

The entertainment business is a cutthroat one. I wish it weren’t, but that’s just how it is. That makes interviews like this all the sweeter. Seeing two people connect on a real level through their art is incredibly special. The only way this interview would lose points for me is if it was revealed that Conan O’Brien was due to be a Strike Force Five guest but wasn’t, thanks to human error. That would be infuriating!

Oh no…