Exploring the Reasons Behind Jimmy Kimmel’s Long-Running Feud with Matt Damon

Jimmy Kimmel and Matt Damon’s feud is a long-running joke on Kimmel’s show that started in 2006 and is not a real dislike.

The feud

It is a running joke on Jimmy Kimmel Live! It began in 2006 when Kimmel ended a show saying “Sorry, we ran out of time. Matt Damon.” It became a feud.

Real life

They are friends. Damon has appeared on the show and teased Kimmel.

Highlights

• Fake “Matt Damon” show finales.
• The 2013 “Handsome Men’s Club” video.

Facts

Kimmel’s wife, Molly McNearney, and Damon take part in it.

The running joke

Jimmy Kimmel hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC, which premiered in January 2003. Starting in 2006, he began ending shows with the line “Sorry, Matt Damon, we ran out of time,” as if Damon was a guest who never got on air. The gag has run for years.

Origin

Kimmel started the running gag in a joking way, then escalated it into a mock feud. It is a bit, not a real personal conflict.

Escalation

Over the years, the bit included sketches, spoof videos and appearances by other celebrities. In 2008, Sarah Silverman posted a video on Kimmel’s show about her fake relationship with Matt Affleck, and the Damon reply, “I’m Ben Affleck,” had a famous response, with Kimmel’s show then airing a Damon video featuring cameos by stars including Robin Williams and Harrison Ford.

Damon’s role

Matt Damon plays along. He has appeared on the show multiple times, including a 2013 episode in which he took over the program and brought out celebrity guests to end the “feud.”

Real life

Both men have said in interviews that they are friends. Kimmel has said he picked Damon’s name arbitrarily for the joke.

Why it works

Running gags rely on repetition and escalation, a common comedy strategy in late-night television. The format was also used by hosts such as Johnny Carson and David Letterman.

Awards

Kimmel has hosted the Oscars twice (2017 and 2018) and has won Emmy Awards for his show.

Facts

Matt Damon is an Academy Award winner (Best Original Screenplay for Good Will Hunting in 1998, co-written with Ben Affleck) and starred in the Bourne films and The Martian.

Origin of the joke

Jimmy Kimmel’s running joke began in 2006 when, near the end of a show, he said “Sorry, we ran out of time. Matt Damon” as a joke after a long interview, as a sketch. It grew into a long running comedic feud with the two sharing sketches, parody videos and a “Handsome Men’s Club” skit. Kimmel’s show Jimmy Kimmel Live! premiered on ABC in January 2003.

Real relationship

Both have said it is a joke and the two are friends. Damon has appeared on the show many times. In 2013 Kimmel’s show produced a fake feud film. The bit is an example of the running gag format in late night comedy, where an exaggerated rivalry is kept alive across years for audience entertainment.

Based on data from ABC and published late night television coverage