Jimmy Kimmel is broadcasting from his hometown, and it’s not Vegas

Jimmy Kimmel is returning to his roots this week, but not his Las Vegas roots.

Known as having grown up Vegas, Kimmel is broadcasting from his original hometown, Brooklyn. Monday night was the New York premiere of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” from Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Kimmel lived in Brooklyn before moving to Las Vegas at age 9. Las Vegas has been referred to as his “other” hometown, but he lived here through Guinn Middle School, Clark High School and his early college years at UNLV before moving to Tempe to attend Arizona State.

Kimmel has broadcast his show once from Las Vegas, at then-Zappos Theater from April 1-5, 2019. This is his seventh visit to Brookyn.

During the reopening of Jimmy Kimmel’s Comedy Club in 2022, Kimmel told me the reasons he has not brought his show back to Vegas are “boring.”

“It’s about how much it costs, and the difference between getting a big rating in New York,” said Kimmel, whose return from this month’s suspension by ABC has drawn some of its biggest audiences ever. “There are more people in New York, a lot more eyeballs.”

The Vegas shows drew several headliners, among them Celine Dion, The Killers and Shania Twain. And Guillermo danced with The Chippendales.

Kimmel’s musical guest Monday lives in Las Vegas, Flavor Flav with Chuck D. in Public Enemy. Cleto and the Cletones, the show’s house band is, led by Vegas native Cleto Escobeto III, a friend of Kimmel’s since middle school.

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on X, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.