who did jimmy kimmel take over for

Jimmy Kimmel took over the late-night talk show slot that was previously held by other late-night hosts, but he is specifically known for "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on ABC. There isn't a single individual he took over for directly as his show started in 2003, but he is part of the late-night talk show tradition following figures like Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, David Letterman, and more contemporaneously compared to Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers. If the question is about recent events, Jimmy Kimmel was suspended from his show indefinitely in September 2025 following controversy over comments about Charlie Kirk, but this does not relate to taking over a show from someone else. If the question implies who Kimmel took a hosting role from at some point, the normal understanding is that his show was launched fresh rather than succeeding a specific host's show. Could you clarify if this is about a particular show or time period? Otherwise, Kimmel is primarily recognized as the longtime host of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" on ABC since 2003. Would further details on the history of the show or the late-night hosts he is contemporaneous with be helpful?