Is Jimmy Kimmel Retiring from Late-Night TV?

Late-night host Jimmy Kimmel said in Tuesday's Variety that he's thinking of retiring when his contract expires, dropping the bombshell news just a few days before he hosts the Oscars this Sunday.

For the last 14 years, Kimmel has made fans laugh with his talk show, but told Variety he's thinking of quitting when his contract ends in 2019. “I want to go out on my own terms. If we ever feel like we're repeating ourselves, I think it's a good indication that it's time.”

With his second child on the way, he shared, “It's possible that will be it. My wife's pregnant. At a certain point, I'd like to have a little more free time. I have very little free time as it is.”

When he got the call asking him to host the Oscars, he was on vacation with his wife Molly. “My response was not one of enthusiasm,” he confessed as he dreaded telling her. "As I approached her, I felt like I was going to tell her I wrecked her car or something. Then we got home, and I had a vicious migraine all night. It wasn't your typical celebration.”

He continued, “I made a decision to try to enjoy the process and be optimistic,” he says. “That said, my subconscious still tells me it's going to be a disaster. This is a no-win situation. Even if it goes great, you get a lot of s**t from a lot of people.”

To prepare, Jimmy said he's re-watching old telecasts including that of David Letterman, who received disastrous reviews in 1995. "I do know why Dave got flack,” Jimmy says. “It's because Dave badmouthed his own performance the next day. If you were a fan of 'Late Night with David Letterman,' you enjoyed it.”