Even though he is the star of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, that show's titular host has learned to take the back seat as his guests are spotlighted. The fact that Jimmy Kimmel recently allowed Kate Beckinsale to take control of his show when she told a truly crazy story is a perfect example of that. However, the truth is that Kimmel has also been the focus of a lot of attention and headlines in recent months.
Of course, anyone who pays attention to pop culture will likely know that Kimmel has been the focus of some very negative attention over the last several months. However, that has recently changed as the famous talk show host is now receiving some truly major praise. It has recently been revealed that Kimmel will soon be given a prestigious award that is rarely handed out.
Jimmy Kimmel is being given the International Cinematographers Guild's President’s Award
On Dec. 3, 2025, Deadline reported that it had been announced that Jimmy Kimmel will receive a huge honor, the International Cinematographers Guild's President’s Award. The award is meant to be given to figures who've been principled by remaining true to their morals while facing adversity. As part of that article, Deadline quoted the ICG National President John Lindley explaining why Kimmel was being honored.
“We’re thrilled to present this award to Jimmy Kimmel, whose return to the air meant so much to his audience and whose presence at the International Cinematographers Guild Publicists Awards means so much to us. He stood by his staff and crew during his suspension, and we celebrate his commitment to his work and to his team.”
While that statement makes it clear that Kimmel is being given the award for how he handled things when he was suspended by ABC, it is worth looking at that quote in a wider context. For anyone considering Kimmel's character, it has to be noted that, as that quote pointed to, he has a history of being very loyal to his talk show's staff.
A May 2023 IndieWire article detailed the fact that during the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike, Kimmel was one of the talk show hosts who agreed to personally pay their staff's salaries. That same article also stated that Kimmel had done the same thing during the Writers Guild of America strike that began in 2007 and lasted into 2008.
As the 2023 strike continued, Kimmel continued to ensure that his staff were paid by co-hosting a podcast that he launched alongside several other talk show hosts. Kimmel was joined on the podcast, which was titled "Strike Force Five," by Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver. A different Deadline article detailed the fact that the proceeds from that podcast were used to ensure the staff of each co-host's talk show continued to be paid throughout the strike.
On top of looking at why Kimmel has been chosen to be given a huge honor, it is interesting to learn the history of the award the talk show host will soon receive. According to the International Cinematographers Guild's website, it appears the President's Award has only been given out four times in the past, in 2017, 2015, 2014, and 2007. The list of the past recipients, in reverse chronological order, is Nanci Ryder, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Linda Bell Blue, and Bob Barker.