Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian
“Kourtney, I think you’re the Kardashian of the week this week because you went ahead and got fake married.”
That was how Jimmy Kimmel greeted Kourtney Kardashian on his show in April 2022, just days after she and Travis Barker held a late-night Las Vegas ceremony without a marriage license. Kourtney didn’t back down. “Well, it’s not called fake married,” she said. Kimmel didn’t miss a beat: “It is called that.”
The moment became one of the most talked-about late-night clips of the year. Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian come from very different corners of entertainment, but that playful exchange shows how late-night TV and reality TV often collide.
This article covers their best-known moment together, both of their backgrounds, career highlights, and where they stand in 2026.
Quick Facts
| Jimmy Kimmel | Kourtney Kardashian | |
|---|---|---|
| Full name | James Christian Kimmel | Kourtney Mary Kardashian |
| Born | November 13, 1967 | April 18, 1979 |
| Birthplace | Brooklyn, New York | Los Angeles, California |
| Raised | Las Vegas, Nevada | Los Angeles |
| Education | Attended UNLV and Arizona State | B.A., University of Arizona |
| Known for | Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Oscars host | Keeping Up with the Kardashians, Poosh |
| Spouse | Molly McNearney | Travis Barker |
The 2022 Interview: Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian
In early April 2022, Kourtney and Travis Barker held a ceremony at a Las Vegas wedding chapel after the Grammy Awards. An Elvis impersonator officiated. But they didn’t have a marriage license, so it wasn’t legal.
On April 6, 2022, Kourtney appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! with her sister Kim and mother Kris Jenner to promote the family’s new Hulu show, The Kardashians. Kimmel teased her right away.
Kourtney explained that the license office was closed at that hour. “There was no possibility to get a marriage license at that hour,” she said. “It’s what’s in the heart.”
Kim revealed that she learned about the wedding through a group chat the next day. Kimmel also surprised Kourtney with a gift of china plates printed with photos of her and Barker’s public displays of affection. Kourtney loved them.
A month later, the couple made it official in a legal ceremony in Santa Barbara, followed by a lavish wedding in Portofino, Italy.
Jimmy Kimmel: Early Life and Education
Jimmy Kimmel was born on November 13, 1967, in Brooklyn, New York. His family moved to Las Vegas when he was nine. He attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Arizona State University, but didn’t graduate. He started in radio, working as a morning show host in several cities.
Jimmy Kimmel: Career Timeline
- 1990s: Worked in radio, including a long run on KROQ in Los Angeles as “Jimmy the Sports Guy.”
- 1997: Became co-host of Comedy Central’s game show Win Ben Stein’s Money, earning a Daytime Emmy.
- 1999: Co-created and co-hosted The Man Show with Adam Carolla.
- 2003: Launched Jimmy Kimmel Live! on ABC in January.
- 2017 and 2018: Hosted the Academy Awards. He hosted again in 2023 and 2024.
- 2017: Shared his newborn son’s heart surgery story on air and became a vocal voice on health care.
- 2025: ABC briefly pulled his show off the air in September over comments about the killing of Charlie Kirk. It returned about a week later.
- December 2025: Extended his ABC contract through May 2027.
- September 2026: A report said the show would end in 2027. ABC called the report speculative.
Kourtney Kardashian: Early Life and Education
Kourtney Kardashian was born on April 18, 1979, in Los Angeles. She is the eldest child of Kris Jenner and attorney Robert Kardashian. She attended Southern Methodist University in Dallas before transferring to the University of Arizona, where she earned a degree in theater arts with a minor in Spanish.
Kourtney Kardashian: Career Timeline
- Mid-2000s: Opened the children’s boutique Smooch in Calabasas with her mother.
- 2007: Starred in Keeping Up with the Kardashians on E!, which ran for 20 seasons until 2021.
- 2009 to 2011: Appeared in spin-offs like Kourtney and Khloé Take Miami.
- 2019: Launched Poosh, a lifestyle and wellness brand.
- 2022: Married Travis Barker and began starring in The Kardashians on Hulu.
- 2023: Welcomed son Rocky Thirteen Barker. She also has three children, Mason, Penelope, and Reign, with Scott Disick.
- 2020s: Expanded Poosh into wellness products and supplements.
How Their Careers Compare
| Category | Jimmy Kimmel | Kourtney Kardashian |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Late-night TV, comedy | Reality TV, lifestyle business |
| Breakout | Win Ben Stein’s Money, The Man Show | Keeping Up with the Kardashians |
| Long-running show | Jimmy Kimmel Live! (since 2003) | KUWTK (2007 to 2021), The Kardashians (since 2022) |
| Business ventures | Production company Kimmelot | Poosh |
| Public image | Sharp, political, comic | Private, wellness-focused |
The Kardashians and Late-Night TV
The Kardashian family has a long history with late-night shows, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! is one of their regular stops. Kimmel often jokes about the family’s headlines, and they usually play along. These appearances help promote their shows while letting viewers see them in a lighter setting.
For Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian, the 2022 “fake married” exchange stands out because it caught Kourtney at a very public, very personal moment, and she stood her ground with humor.
What They Have in Common
- Long TV careers: Both have been on TV for more than two decades.
- Family on screen: Kimmel has featured his family and friends, like Uncle Frank and Cousin Sal. Kourtney’s whole family is the show.
- Business sense: Kimmel runs a production company. Kourtney built Poosh.
- Los Angeles roots: Both live and work in Southern California.
Where Are They Now?
Jimmy Kimmel continues to host Jimmy Kimmel Live! under a contract that runs through May 2027. His show remains one of ABC’s most visible late-night programs, though its future beyond 2027 is still a topic of debate.
Kourtney Kardashian continues to appear on The Kardashians and run Poosh. She and Travis Barker are raising their blended family, which includes Rocky and children from their earlier relationships.
Timeline of the Wedding Story
Here’s how the story that sparked the Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian exchange played out:
- April 3, 2022: Kourtney and Travis Barker attended the Grammy Awards in Las Vegas.
- Early April 4, 2022: They held a ceremony at a Las Vegas wedding chapel around 2 a.m., with an Elvis impersonator officiating, but without a marriage license.
- April 6, 2022: Kourtney, Kim, and Kris Jenner appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, where Kimmel teased her about being “fake married.”
- May 15, 2022: The couple legally married at a courthouse in Santa Barbara.
- May 22, 2022: They held a lavish wedding in Portofino, Italy, with family and friends.
The timeline shows why the Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian moment landed so well. Kimmel caught the story at its funniest point, between the chapel and the real wedding. Fans still share the clip as one of the best Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian moments.
How to Watch
Clips from the 2022 interview are available on the official Jimmy Kimmel Live! YouTube channel. New episodes of The Kardashians stream on Hulu, and Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs weeknights on ABC with clips posted online the next day. Watching both gives a good sense of how each star connects with fans in very different formats.
Final Thoughts
Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian may live in different TV worlds, but their 2022 interview showed how well those worlds can mix. Kimmel brought the teasing, Kourtney brought the comebacks, and viewers got a moment that still gets shared online. Beyond that clip, both have built long careers, strong brands, and loyal audiences. For fans of late-night comedy or reality TV, the Jimmy Kimmel and Kourtney Kardashian exchange is a perfect snapshot of pop culture in the 2020s.
Key Takeaways
- Jimmy Kimmel was born November 13, 1967, in Brooklyn and raised in Las Vegas. Kourtney Kardashian was born April 18, 1979, in Los Angeles.
- On April 6, 2022, Kimmel teased Kourtney on Jimmy Kimmel Live! for getting “fake married” to Travis Barker in Las Vegas without a license. She replied, “It’s what’s in the heart.”
- Kourtney and Barker legally married in Santa Barbara in May 2022, then held a wedding in Portofino, Italy.
- Kimmel rose through radio, Win Ben Stein’s Money, and The Man Show before launching Jimmy Kimmel Live! in 2003. He has hosted the Oscars four times.
- Kimmel’s ABC contract runs through May 2027. A September 2026 report said the show would end then, but ABC called it speculative.
- Kourtney earned a degree from the University of Arizona, starred in Keeping Up with the Kardashians from 2007 to 2021, and founded Poosh in 2019.
- Kourtney has four children: Mason, Penelope, and Reign with Scott Disick, and Rocky with Travis Barker.
