'Tonight Show,' 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' Reveal How They Swapped Shows

At least four years ago, over dinner at Frankies in Brooklyn, Jimmy Kimmel threw out a wacky idea to fellow late night host, Jimmy Fallon: What if the two switched shows for a night?

If they were able to clear the logistical hurdles — which included swapping cities, staffs and networks — it could be an epic prank, even for a consummate prankster like Kimmel. For him and the other Jimmy, a pair who’ve grown friendly in recent years, the idea was just crazy enough to be appealing.

So, nearly half a decade later, on April Fools’ Day, the two Jimmys pulled it off, surprising their audiences and everyone watching at home, when they came out on each other’s shows: Kimmel as host of NBC’s The Tonight Show from New York and Fallon emceeing ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! from Hollywood Boulevard in Los Angeles. To ensure the whole thing remained a secret, only a small cadre of relevant producers, writers and network executives were let in on the gag.

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Both hosts arrived at the other Jimmy’s studio late last week with a small team; in each case, an assistant, a couple of writer-producers and a few others. On air, Kimmel partook in popular Fallon bits like “Thank You Notes” and interviewed stars Hugh Jackman and Bridget Everett, while Fallon introduced “Sweet Tweets,” a twist on Kimmel’s “Mean Tweets,” and welcomed pal Justin Timberlake, who pretended to be Kimmel faux-nemesis Matt Damon, and Kimmel’s Aunt Chippy. The Red Hot Chili Peppers performed on both shows.

Behind the scenes, the hosts celebrated the elaborate gag with treats — Fallon sent the JKL staff an ice cream truck, Kimmel sent the Tonight Show gang cookies — from “the other Jimmy.” When it came to show time, the Tonight Show crew sent Kimmel out onstage with his ritual fist-bumps and “best show ever” chant, a tradition that dates back to his very first show 19 years earlier; the JKL crew is said to have done the same for Fallon in L.A.

“That was unbelievable. No one has ever done this,” Fallon is said to have gushed post-show, still in disbelief that they’d pulled it off during a champagne toast in the JKL greenroom. Back on the East Coast, Kimmel took the Tonight Show writers out to a nearby bar, where he, too, toasted the team for pulling off something truly special.

Later in the weekend, they both fielded a few questions about pulling off what Fallon joked was ABC’s second-biggest surprise of the week.

When it came time to execute this April Fools’ prank, what was particularly important to each of you?

Jimmy Kimmel: Mostly, we wanted to make sure we kept it secret.

Jimmy Fallon: I’m not really a prank guy, so I didn’t know if we could pull this off. Like, two seconds before they announced me, I was nervous. I was like, “I hope they like me.”

Beyond the obvious (i.e., location), what were the biggest differences in putting together the other Jimmy’s show?

Kimmel: It’s rare that you ever even talk to people who do the same job you do. We wanted to be respectful of how Fallon produces his show and make sure we were collaborating on everything.

Fallon: It was a bit surreal. It’s the same job, but also completely different. Everyone there made me feel so welcome. They have a very professional, very funny staff. It’s a beautiful theater. It’s like a TV studio in a theater, whereas ours is pure TV studio. It felt great to be that close to the audience.

What were the biggest surprises or unexpected pieces to mounting the other show?

Fallon: Booking was hard because normally we are booked six months in advance, [but] it had to kind of be last-minute so that word didn’t get out.

Kimmel: The biggest surprise is how fast it goes.

When did you arrive at the other show, and what was the first thing you wanted to do? 

Fallon: We double-taped our show Wednesday, and then I got on a plane and landed around 1 a.m. Seven hours later, Jimmy and [Kimmel’s wife and show co-head writer] Molly [McNearney] were waiting in the parking lot to greet me. We got into hair and makeup and started filming. After that, they flew immediately to New York.

Kimmel: Meet our peers.

Now that the secret’s out, what did the prep process entail with you and the writers?

Fallon: Tons of planning. Tons. And to keep it a secret. Our producers were talking to each other every day for the past month. But this probably took a year of planning.

Kimmel: We prepared more for this show than most. What was most important was looking out for the other, sharing the little tricks you pick up over the years.

Outside of the folks who needed to know, who was (and wasn’t) let in on the joke?

Fallon: Really, the only people who knew were me and Jimmy … and Matt Damon. I was surprised on how the networks didn’t really fight us on it. It seems like something we shouldn’t be able to get away with.

Kimmel: Guillermo didn’t know, but he still doesn’t know.

Did you leave anything behind for the other Jimmy? 

Fallon: I left him a card in my office.

Kimmel: I left my youngest son.

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