News | Entertainment
20 Dec 2025 23:00
NZCity News
NZCity CalculatorReturn to NZCity

  • Start Page
  • Personalise
  • Sport
  • Weather
  • Finance
  • Shopping
  • Jobs
  • Horoscopes
  • Lotto Results
  • Photo Gallery
  • Site Gallery
  • TVNow
  • Dating
  • SearchNZ
  • NZSearch
  • Crime.co.nz
  • RugbyLeague
  • Make Home
  • About NZCity
  • Contact NZCity
  • Your Privacy
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Join for Free

  •   Home > News > Entertainment

    Ben Affleck and Matt Damon offered to pay the wages of Jimmy Kimmel's talk show staff at the start of the writers strike

    'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' has been off-air for four months after the Writer's Guild of America announced industrial action over pay and residuals back in May and the host has now revealed the two Hollywood stars offered to step in and cover the salaries of the show workers who would be left out of pocket while the show was shelved


    During an appearance on his new 'Strike Force Five' podcast, Jimmy revealed: "Ben Affleck and the despicable Matt Damon contacted me and offered to pay our staff for two weeks, a week each, they wanted to pay [them] out of their own pockets. Our staff."

    However, Jimmy turned the offer down and explained: "I did say no. I felt that that was not their responsibility ... "

    He revealed Ryan Reynolds also offered some help to the show's staff by giving them a year of free service with the mobile phone company he owns - Mint Mobile.

    Jimmy added: "He offered service for free for a year to our staff. I don't know the details but that's the headline there."

    During the show, the host also revealed he considered retiring after the writers strike kicked off, saying: "I was very intent on retiring right around the time where the strike started. And now, I realise: 'Oh yeah, it's kind of nice to work.' You know when you are working, you think about not working."

    The podcast features Jimmy alongside fellow talk show hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and John Oliver who have come together to create a limited run of episodes while their shows are off-air. Proceeds from the podcast will go to the talk show staff who are currently without work.

    © 2025 Bang Showbiz, NZCity

     Other Entertainment News
     20 Dec: Bonnie Blue is set to be deported from Bali and banned from the island for a decade
     20 Dec: Sydney Sweeney has confirmed her "boobs [are] real"
     20 Dec: James L. Brooks is "sure" Jack Nicholson will work again
     20 Dec: David Letterman is relieved not to be hosting a late-night talk show anymore
     20 Dec: Taylor Swift broke down in tears about the tragedies that impacted her Eras Tour
     20 Dec: King Charles will address the nation about his "recovery journey" on Friday (12.12.25) night
     20 Dec: Lewis Capaldi has dismissed speculation of a feud with Taylor Swift, branding the rumours "hogwash"
     Top Stories

    RUGBY RUGBY
    A steep challenge juggling a busy calendar for incoming Black Ferns head coach Whitney Hansen More...


    BUSINESS BUSINESS
    Sport New Zealand chief executive Raelene Castle has shed light on the challenge sports administrators face between balancing transparency and confidentiality More...



     Today's News

    Living & Travel:
    One lucky Whangarei lotto player's just become a multi-millionaire five days shy of Christmas 21:56

    Entertainment:
    Bonnie Blue is set to be deported from Bali and banned from the island for a decade 21:50

    Entertainment:
    Sydney Sweeney has confirmed her "boobs [are] real" 21:20

    Christchurch:
    Four people have been injured, one seriously, following a three-vehicle crash in Dunsandel in Canterbury 21:16

    International:
    Jeffrey Epstein documents partially published by US Department of Justice — as it happened 21:06

    Skiing:
    Valentino Guseli wins snowboard halfpipe bronze at Copper Mountain World Cup 21:06

    Entertainment:
    James L. Brooks is "sure" Jack Nicholson will work again 20:50

    Law and Order:
    A first look through the Epstein files reveals celebrity snaps, police notes and a lot of Bill Clinton 20:26

    Entertainment:
    David Letterman is relieved not to be hosting a late-night talk show anymore 20:20

    International:
    Epstein files contain new photo of former prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor 20:16


     News Search






    Power Search


    © 2025 New Zealand City Ltd