Jimmy Kimmel’s Ultimate Guest Dream: Madonna and a Mysterious Artist!
Jimmy Kimmel, the face of late-night on his show Jimmy Kimmel Live!, is still holding out hope to welcome a pop icon who has somehow evaded his program since its inception in January 2003—Madonna! In an exclusive chat with PEOPLE at Keep Memory Alive’s The Power of Love Gala, Kimmel expressed his desire to interview the Queen of Pop, remarking, “We’ve never had Madonna on the show, and I’d love to have her on.” Can you believe that? Over two decades and not a single appearance! Kimmel’s confusion about Madonna’s absence is relatable; she has been a staple in pop culture since the early ’80s.
Interestingly, Kimmel noted his sidekick Guillermo Rodriguez had a moment with Madonna when she brought him on stage during a concert in Mexico City last year. “She had Guillermo on stage with her,” Kimmel said, joking, “Not me. Nothing for me.” Ouch! It looks like the comedic duo needs to step up their game if they want to snag a sit-down with the legendary star.
But wait, there’s more! Kimmel also dreams of having the elusive artist Banksy grace his couch. “If there were some one person I’d like to have on the show, it would be Banksy,” he quipped, recognizing the challenges of nabbing a guest whose identity remains a mystery. Spoiler: Kimmel is keeping it light-hearted; when jokingly asked whether Banksy could have been Jason Alexander in disguise, he seemed to roll with it.
Despite these celebrity guest aspirations, Kimmel remains passionate about his current gig, admitting it can be a mixed bag. “Some nights it’s absolutely great if the audience is great, and some nights it doesn’t go that great, and you just feel like it’s going to an island,” he mused. However, he’s still relishing the late-night ride, stating, “In some ways, it’s more fun because I think that we are doing the best show we’ve ever done right now.”
For all you night owls, you can catch Jimmy Kimmel Live! weeknights at 11:35 p.m. EST on ABC—who knows, maybe Madonna will pop up one of these days!
Sources: Celebrity Storm Wire and People Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, The Hollywood Reporter
