Update: It was Jimmy Fallon, not Jimmy Kimmel! More information after the jump.
It seems the once hardened relationship between ABC’s entertainment division and the network’s news division is finally thawing. First “Nightline” starts throwing to late night host Jimmy Kimmel at the end of their broadcasts, and now Kimmel is responding in kind to new “This Week” host Christiane Amanpour…
B&C’s John Eggerton reports that the “This Week” staff got a special delivery on Friday in the form of pizzas, courtesy of the “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” team. Eggerton speculates that the pizzas were in recognition of Amanpour’s addition to the ABC team, or a bribe to see more Kimmel in the “funnies” segment that collects the best late night jokes of the week.
But whether kudo or bribe (or perhaps a bit of both), it was the first mass pizza gifting from a late night host that one longtime ABC News staffer could remember.
Either way, the Paul Lee era at ABC is starting out on a friendly note.
Update: A tipster points us to this Tweet from Amanpour on Friday:
“The #ThisWeek staff and I just enjoyed a delicious pizza lunch courtesy of @jimmyfallon. Thank you, Jimmy! http://twitpic.com/2c6idj”
So now we have a pepperoni-laden mystery here. Which late night Jimmy sent the pizza?
Update 2: ABC News tells TVNewser it was NBC’s late night host Jimmy Fallon that sent the pizzas to “This Week,” not Kimmel. Your move Kimmel. Maybe you can send over some pizza and garlic bread?