Jimmy Kimmel, Uber Driver? Late Night Host Finds New Day Job [Video]

Competition in late night is fierce these days with not one, but two Jimmys hosting on the major networks, and comedian Stephen Colbert set to take over the Late Show next year.

So it may come as no surprise to some readers that Jimmy Kimmel is giving thought to other careers and trying them out on television. Actually, not so much trying out new careers due to the competitive late night market as much as for a comedy bit. But let’s just go along with it and say it is because he’s looking for a new job.

Anyway, the comedian went through the background check and got approved to be a driver with the San Francisco-based company, and had one of the most fun trips with an unsuspecting passenger on his last day in the United States. The trip included gift shopping, which netted items later shown once the Uber user made his way back home to Africa.

Chris Bruce of AutoBlog wrote about Kimmel’s experience, and noted that even though it was for a comedy bit, the comedian and late night host had to meet those Uber requirements in order to pull off one of the coolest experiences of an Uber user’s life.

“Becoming an Uber driver requires owning a new-enough insured vehicle and passing a registration procedure that includes a background check. None of that was too daunting for Kimmel, and he hopped into something suitably innocuous – a Chevrolet Cruze – to try out an afternoon on the job.

“We only get to see Kimmel interacting with one person, but his fare seems suitably surprised when he notices the celebrity driver. This isn’t a bad idea for a bit, but we wouldn’t mind seeing it go to the next level with someone like Jay Leno picking up people in some crazy machine from his garage. Check out the video to watch Kimmel trying out a new job.”

Of course, Uber has been running into trouble in several cities and states across the United States, based on accusations that the company will be taking business away from licensed cab drivers. Recently, the city of Anchorage took Uber to Alaska Superior Court in order to get an injunction that would stop the company from being able to operate within the city limits. It is not yet known whether Alaska’s largest city will be successful with its legal action.

[Image via Screenshot / YouTube]