Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney have spent years mixing marriage with late-night television. However, their romance began with a workplace dilemma that McNearney immediately recognized.
The latest Jimmy Kimmel wife interview revisits how their professional relationship changed. One carefully planned dinner eventually made Kimmel’s intentions difficult to miss.
Molly McNearney recalls realizing Kimmel wanted more after he invited his longtime employee over for dinner
During an Armchair Expert interview with Dax Shepard, Molly McNearney recalled what she felt at that time. She said, “Yes! It made me very excited and very nervous. I remember thinking, ‘Oh, no. This is a bad idea.’ He was my boss.”
Before their romance began, Kimmel asked staff members at Jimmy Kimmel Live! to name five favorite foods. McNearney listed pizza, gnocchi, a BLT, crab claws, and a cheeseburger.
Months later, Kimmel invited her to his home for dinner. When McNearney arrived, he had prepared all five dishes from scratch. The gesture made his intentions obvious. Still, McNearney worried about what dating Kimmel could mean for her career.
She had already established herself in the writers’ room. Therefore, she feared a breakup could hurt her professionally while leaving Kimmel’s position unchanged.
The Molly McNearney boss issue also made her nervous about her colleagues. She worried their dynamic might change if she started dating the show’s host.
McNearney had expressed similar concerns before. In a 2014 Glamour interview, she said she initially never viewed Kimmel romantically. She also described avoiding a relationship with your boss as basic workplace common sense.
However, the dinner changed things. McNearney said Kimmel’s cooking ultimately “sealed the deal.” The couple initially kept their romance private at work. They later married in 2013 and now share two children.
McNearney also remains deeply involved with Jimmy Kimmel Live! as an executive producer and co-head writer. Kimmel recently shared another funny glimpse into their marriage.
More than a decade later, McNearney can now laugh with Dax Shepard about the relationship she once considered such a risky idea.
Originally reported by Misbah Pandith on Reality Tea
