Though known for bringing the laughs every night on his late-night show, an emotional Jimmy Kimmel dedicated his entire one-hour episode show Monday night to pay tribute to the late Kobe Bryant.
At the top of the first episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! following Bryant’s sudden death on Sunday, the host noted that he and his producers eschewed a studio audience and guests: “Going forward with a comedy show didn’t feel right given what happened yesterday, so I’d like to just speak to you directly,” he said.
Kimmel launched into a remembrance of the basketball star from the perspective of an Angeleno who interacted with him on several occasions.”That was a punch in the gut for many of us,” he said of Bryant’s death. “Kobe was – and I know this might not make sense – but he was just the last person you could have ever imagined something like this happening to. He was so strong and handsome and smart and energetic. He was a hero.”
Kimmel, who had the athlete on his show 15 times, said he admired Bryant’s work ethic. “Those of us who love the Lakers know [that] it seemed like he always came through. He always showed up to save the day… He had a force of will, he never gave up. As an athlete, he was incredibly gifted – more than almost anyone, he was talented beyond reason – and yet, he worked harder than everyone. He worked harder than people with much less talent than he had.”
The late-night host recalled sending Bryant a book when he had torn his Achilles’ tendon, and said that Bryant called him up to talk about the book in “maniacal detail.” Not knowing enough about the book to answer some of Bryant’s questions, Kimmel connected him to the book’s author. Bryant also checked in with Kimmel when Kimmel’s son was in the hospital, the host said, and made a point to meet him.
On NBC, The Tonight Show‘s Jimmy Fallon was also teary-eyed when he dedicated a portion of his monologue to the late athlete. “Kobe was such a life force, so strong, creative and inspired that in my head I thought that he was going to live forever.” Fallon said that he met Bryant at a party when he was 21 years old and the latter was 17; Bryant volunteered to go on a beer run for the party and Fallon agreed to go with him. Fallon only did delivery service, but that when Bryant showed the proprietor his ID and said he was a Laker, they were able to buy five cases of beer and “saved the party.”
Fallon, breaking down, said that when he ran into Bryant later, they would laugh about how they met and talk about “how to be good dads.” He added, “Let’s honor Kobe, Gianna and the other lives that were lost by following his example: Love your family, love your teammates and outwork everyone in the gym.”
(Excerpt) Read more in: The Hollywood Reporter