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Critics Choice Awards 2026: Jimmy Kimmel Reveals Biggest Lesson He Learned in 2025
Jimmy Kimmel is giving his perseverance a five-star rating.
Nearly a month after his eponymous late night show was renewed for another year, the Jimmy Kimmel Live! host shared the biggest takeaway from his professional career in 2025.
“I learned a lot of lessons,” Jimmy exclusively told E News’ Daryn Carp in an interview at the 2026 Critic Choice Awards Jan. 4. “I guess, ‘Stick to your guns.’ That’s the biggest lesson I learned last year.”
And when Daryn noted that he’d developed both metaphorical and literal muscles, the comedian joked, “Well, I didn’t say that, but I do have guns.”
Indeed, Jimmy—who won Best Talk Show at the ceremony—went through an unprecedented period last fall. Before the 58-year-old’s latest contract extension, his show was suspended “indefinitely” in September following backlash to comments he’d made during his monologue about Charlie Kirk’s murder that month. The series was brought back to air less than a week later.
The Boss Baby alum—who shares kids Katie, 34, and Kevin, 32, with ex-wife Gina Maddy, as well as Jane, 11, and Billy, 8, with wife Molly McNeary—hit another tough roadblock two months later, when his childhood best friend and Jimmy Kimmel Live! band leader Cleto Escobedo III died at the age of 59.
He honored the musician in a heartfelt tribute, explaining that they’ve “been inseparable since I was 9 years old.”
“Early this morning, we lost a great friend, father, son, musician and man, my longtime bandleader Cleto Escobedo III,” Jimmy wrote in the Instagram post at the time. “To say that we are heartbroken is an understatement. The fact that we got to work together every day is a dream neither of us could ever have imagined would come true.”
Rich Polk/Variety via Getty Images
And as he and his loved ones embrace the new year, they’re already being mindful of how they’re going to accomplish their goals.
Recounting how Molly had asked him and their kids about their intentions for 2026, Jimmy explained to E! at the Critic Choice Awards, “I was like, ‘Oh God, I hope they don’t even get to me. I hope this is such a mess with the kids,’ because they don’t have intentions.”
Because, truthfully, he continued, “I don’t have any intentions this year. I just kinda keep going, that’s it.”
Keep reading to see more stars who appeared, and took home a victory, at the 2026 Critics Choice Awards…
(E! and USA Network are both part of Versant Media.)
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Teyana Taylor
in Saint Laurent and Tiffany & Co. jewelry.
Frazer Harrison / Staff / GETTY IMAGES
Jessica Biel
in Lanvin.
Matt Winkelmeyer / Staff / GETTY IMAGES
Ariana Grande
in custom Alberta Ferretti, Christian Louboutin and Swarovski jewelry.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Paul Mescal
in custom Gucci and Cartier.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Jacob Elordi
in Bottega Veneta, Oliver Peoples and Cartier.
Frazer Harrison / Staff / GETTY IMAGES
Michael B. Jordan
in custom Louis Vuitton and Christian Louboutin.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Leighton Meester & Adam Brody
in Carolina Herrera and Chopard jewelry (Meester).
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Alexander Skarsgard
Matt Winkelmeyer / Staff / GETTY IMAGES
Adam Scott & Naomi Scott
in Dolce & Gabbana.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Marcello Hernandez
in Dolce & Gabbana.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images
Mckenna Grace
in vintage Vera Wang and Chopard diamonds.
Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Krys Marshall
in Sehnsucht Atelier.
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Rhea Seehorn
in custom Louis Vuitton and Brilliant Earth jewelry.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Nicole Brydon Bloom
in Akris.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Sara Wells & Noah Wyle
in Brioni (Wyle).
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Adam Sandler & Jackie Sandler
Monica Schipper/Getty Images
Leo Woodall
in Paul Smith.
Matt Winkelmeyer / Staff / GETTY IMAGES
Ryan Coogler & Zinzi Coogler
in custom Louis Vuitton.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Katherine LaNasa & Grant Show
in custom Louis Vuitton (LaNasa).
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Seth Rogen
in Zegna.
Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Sarah Shahi
Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Ginnifer Goodwin & Josh Dallas
in Giorgio Armani and a Tyler Ellis bag(Goodwin).
John Shearer/Getty Images for Critics Choice Association
Ike Barinholtz
in Dior.
Matt Winkelmeyer / Staff / GETTY IMAGES
Jimmy Kimmel & Molly McNearney
Monica Schipper / Staff / GETTY IMAGES
Sterling K. Brown
in Brunello Cucinelli, Jacques Marie Mage glasses, Omega watch, Rachel Katz Jewelry cufflinks, Effy Jewelry rings and Melinda Maria earrings.
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Sarah Snook
in Akris and Chopard.
Matt Baron/BEI/Shutterstock
Tramell Tillman
in Anamika Khanna and Lagos Diamonds jewelry.
Monica Schipper / Staff / GETTTY IMAGES
Natasha Lyonne
in Le Vian and L'Dezen jewelry.
Frazer Harrison / Staff / GETTY IMAGES
Chase Infiniti
in custom Louis Vuitton and Messika jewelry.
Rob Latour/Shutterstock
Owen Cooper
in Bottega Veneta.
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