Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney Detail How They Work Together While Married: ‘We Know How to Compartmentalize’ (Exclusive)

Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney are open about how they maintain a happy marriage and work-life balance.

Although the busy couple works in late-night television, they find time for “date nights.” Their secret? Lying in bed, TV and postmen, they exclusively told PEOPLE at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles on Oct. 5.

“We worked together for eight years before we started, and so we kind of kept it the same,” McNearny, who serves as executive producer and co-writer on Jimmy Kimmel Live!he told PEOPLE. “We know how to share. It can definitely be hard when I bring up ideas and my husband rejects me, but that’s okay. I have a thick skin.”

“I get rejected a lot, believe me,” joked the 57-year-old Kimmel.

“We are doing great. We’re doing really great,” McNearney, 46, added.

Jimmy Kimmel and Molly McNearney at the 2024 Emmy Awards.

Scott Kirkland/Disney

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Kimmel and McNearney have been married since July 2013, and while there can be a lot of brainstorming in the office, it doesn’t exactly stop when they’re done. Even at home, constantly coming up with ideas for a play is business as usual.

“No. Never. Not even sleeping,” Kimmel admitted when asked if they have a strict no-break rule when it comes to chatting at work.

“It never stops. No, no, never,” McNearney repeated. “He’ll wake up in the middle of the night, ‘Oh, let’s write this down.’ Or in the car he’ll say, ‘Take your phone and write this down,’ because he’s usually driving and not, his brain is always working.”

But even though the creative juices are constantly flowing for the late-night talk show host, he really loves his nights out. The couple seems to be on the same page about one important thing: They’d take a night in front of a nipple tube over a night out on the town, any day.

“Our dates are like lying in bed and watching TV,” Kimmel revealed. “We don’t like going out.”

McNearney replied, “So hot. This is a beautiful night for us. Doing nothing is the best match for us. Postmates and Netflix, and it’s perfect. Or Hulu, of course.”

Jimmy Kimmel, Molly McNearney and their children, Billy and Jane, 2019. VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Jimmy Kimmel’s 4 children: Everything he said about parenting

Kimmel and McNearney have two children: daughter Jane, 10, and son Billy, 7. Meanwhile, Kimmel and his first wife, Gina Maddy, have two grown children: daughter Katie, 33, and son Kevin, 31.

And their son Billy is one of the main reasons why Kimmel and McNearney have shown tremendous support for Children’s Hospital Los Angeles over the years. In 2017, Billy was born with a rare and life-threatening heart condition and received care there. This year, the couple served as honorary chairs at the gala dinner.

“It’s great to know that this hospital is here for anyone in Los Angeles or even in the area and that they’re so good with the kids and the parents, which I think is kind of rare,” Kimmel said. “And obviously they’re great at what they do, but also, I think for us personally, it’s very meaningful.

“When we had to decide where to operate on our son, Billy, we talked to a lot of doctors and we decided that this was the best place and we firmly believe that we made the right decision,” he added.

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Source: HIS Education