Carolla Explains 'Man Show' Alum Jimmy Kimmel's Leftward Tilt
Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel exited “The Man Show” in 2003.
The comedians embraced wildly different career paths following their Comedy Central series. Jimmy Kimmel went mainstream, anchoring ABC’s long-running “Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Carolla created his “pirate ship,” a media enterprise free of Hollywood’s rules and regulations.
That isn’t the only professional chasm between them.
Carolla leaned into his Libertarian side over time, shredding COVID lockdowns, free speech restrictions and Identity Politics gone wild. Kimmel got woke, turning his late-night showcase into a DNC-approved program.
Has that shift impacted their friendship? Carolla offers an unqualified, “no.”
“We don’t talk politics,” Carolla tells OutKick, adding he isn’t surprised by his friend’s personal evolution.
“If you host a popular, late-night show in Hollywood you’ve gotta get guests. If you started talking about Trump in a positive way and anti-vax this or that, it would be very injurious to your show,” the host of “The Adam Carolla Show” says.
He quickly adds that Kimmel isn’t a closet conservative or is insincere with his current views. The former “Man Show” host is a product of his environment.
“I’m not saying he’s doing it to get bookings… Hollywood leans in a direction, and if you’re gonna navigate Hollywood, and you’re really a part of it, your politics are gonna come out a certain way,” he says. “It can’t be a coincidence that everyone’s on the same page for everything … It’s no different than anyone who lived in Manhattan and was educated.”
Adam Carolla and Jimmy Kimmel remain good friends. (Photo by Sylvain Gaboury/FilmMagic).
Carolla And Kimmel Hosted 'The Man Show' From 1999 - 2004
Carolla, who hosts multiple podcasts, performs stand-up comedy, writes best-selling books (“President Me”) and produces smart documentaries like “The 24-Hour War” and “Uppity,” adds another gig to his resume next month.
Carolla is teaming with Jay Leno to power Comedy Fantasy Camp, a four-day event spun from the long-running Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp program. Carolla interviewed the founder of the Rock & Roll Fantasy Camp, David Fishof, and wondered about a possible spin-off project.
“Why wouldn’t this work for comedy,” Carolla asked about the event, which also features comedians like Harland Williams, Carol Leifer and Alonzo Bodden in its debut year. “We applied the same principles and template.”
Carolla started his comedy career in an unorthodox fashion, from volunteering to teach Kimmel, then a radio talk show host, how to box for a promotional stunt to taking improv classes.
He could have used some of the upcoming camp’s programs, including one-on-one mentoring sessions, improv training, podcasting training and more.
The camp, being held Oct. 12-15 in, where else, Hollywood, Calif., gives Carolla’s latest tag-team partner the chance to share decades of comedy wisdom.
“Jay doesn’t have kids. When he see a young comedian, that father impulse kicks in that was never satiated personally,” he says of the former “Tonight Show” host. “He’s got a million stories about everybody and about everything.”
Carolla will share his own secrets, too, like the bitter truth behind being a successful comic.
“People think it’s a ‘Who’s Funniest’ competition. It’s really not … it’s who’s funny with a combination of who can hone your work ethic … can you remain sober? Can you navigate ?”
“By and large it’s a business and people count on you … its about being prompt and being consistent and not being a head case,” he says. “These things come into play quite a bit more than people think.”
The camp comes at a fortuitous time for Carolla.
He recalls being in his 30s and not having enough real-world wisdom to share. The late bloomer spent his 20s working in construction and dreaming of a gig where he could crack wise for a living.
He does just that across multiple platforms today, and he has plenty of sage advice to share. Witness his keen analysis on “The Adam and Dr. Drew Show” and prescient thoughts on the COVID-19 pandemic.
Adam Carolla Is Looking Forward
“I’m at a point now where you have less in front of you and more behind you,” says the 59-year-old comic. “You do want to share your ideas and experiences and your wisdom with people … I grew up listening to talk radio my whole life, talk-show psychologists. I listened intently. What a privilege it is to affect someone else’s life. That’s the ultimate legacy.”
Just don’t expect him to reboot “The Man Show” anytime soon. He’s not afraid of being “canceled.” No one can sink his pirate ship. It’s just not the right move at this point in his career.
"As a creator it just doesn’t feel that interesting to go back and rehash things from 20 years prior … it feels like a payday," he says.