LOS ANGELES — Jimmy Kimmel marked the 20th anniversary of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on Thursday night by bringing back his first-ever guest George Clooney along with inaugural guest co-host Snoop Dogg and musical act Coldplay for the celebration. Even his long-time nemesis Matt Damon made a guest appearance, but only to lament being snubbed yet again by the late-night TV host.
The ABC talk show premiered in 2003 live after the Super Bowl and, as Kimmel recalled in Thursday's monologue, was "dead on arrival" as he recounted the not-so-rave reviews he received in his debut.
"Why these people at ABC hired me, I still have no idea," he quipped, name-checking Bob Iger — the president and CEO of ABC's parent company, Walt Disney Co. — who was in Kimmel's studio audience Thursday.