Check out our online video on statistics within the art department Tuesday, november 11, 2014
Indiana’s Oldest College Newspaper
Vol. 163, Issue 19
Jimmy Kimmel cracks jokes, delivers advice By Brock Turner and Leah Williams news@ thedepauw.com
Jimmy Kimmel knew his audience while visiting DePauw University, opening with, “I was invited to come to Wabash tonight, but I said I’d sooner die than go to that pack of deadbeats.” Taking a night off from his perch behind his late night desk in Los Angeles, Jimmy Kimmel made a quick trip to Greencastle delivering his characteristic comedy, laced with advice. Kimmel started his media career in radio before transitioning to television, eventually becoming the host of ABC’s first late-night talk show. He stressed the value of hard work during his 90-minute Ubben Lecture. Kimmel, usually the one behind the desk, responded to interview questions during his exchange with Tom Chiarella, Hampton and Esther Boswell Distinguished University Professor of Creative Writing. Since he was young, he has been interested in entertainment and media. Kimmel described a picture of himself as a young child. “I’d sit there drawing watching Johnny Carson and David Letterman,” he said Saturday evening to a studentfilled Kresge Auditorium at DePauw University. Five minutes before the show, the audience was
shown a compilation video of moments from his popular late night talk show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” including bits starring some of his past interviewees like Oprah Winfrey, Tom Cruise and Will Ferrell. Kimmel then came on stage to music played by a band of DePauw University students. Kimmel made his first impression on first-year Jasmin Ramos. “I wasn’t really familiar with his talk show,” said Ramos. “[but] I thought he was really funny and really great.” Kimmel started his career moving from radio station to radio station before arriving in Los Angeles on KROQFM. “I read that David Letterman started in radio,” Kimmel said. While doing sports for the famous station, he went on auditions for different television shows. After landing his first job in TV as a game show host, Kimmel spent time with Comedy Central, MTV and ESPN. Following an interview with ABC, Kimmel was told he had his own late night show. “You think that people in business know what they’re doing,” he commented on the early days of the show. “No one plans ahead; it just happens suddenly.” For the first year, the fledgling talk show had trouble Jimmy Kimmel fills Kresge auditorium with laugher on Saturday night during the
Kimmel engaged in conversation with creative writing professor Tom Chiarella (left). PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUW UNIVERSITY
Ubben Lecture. Kimmel performed as a guest of the Arts & Laughter themed Arts Fest week. PHOTO COURTESY OF DEPAUW UNIVERSITY getting high-profile guests. Kimmel interviewed “D-list” celebrities and reality TV non-stars. It was during this time that he started one of his most famous bits, ending the show with apologizing to Matt Damon for running out of time for an interview. The actor’s publicist eventually called, said Damon thought it was funny, and the joke continued. “There’s no good reason for it, but it just goes on and on,” Kimmel said. Chiarella asked about the host’s success and work ethic, mentioning a student who had missed his class recently after taking a shower that was “too hot.” Laughing, Kimmel commented that he had never missed a show, even working the day of his appendectomy and through an extreme allergic reaction to Advil in which his face swelled through-
out the show. “Part of me got a perverse kick out of the fact that I was dying on television,” Kimmel said. This kind of dedication is the type of effort Kimmel looks for from his employees, even interns. Kimmel offered advice to students on how to be noticed, regardless of how insignificant the position may seem. “If you’re a hard worker, people you work with … will notice and reward you for that,” said Kimmel in a pre-show interview. “You’re always making connections, and you’re always making an impression, and you should always make
Kimmel | cont’d on page 3