KVUE — After last year's highly successful run, Jimmy Kimmel Live! will make its return to Austin on March 16 through March 20 at the Long Center. "Just the energy from the audience is so different than LA," Jimmy Kimmel said during a recent trip to Austin.

Along with sidekick Guillermo, Kimmel slipped into Austin recently along with his crew to shoot scenes for his upcoming return to the Long Center during SXSW. "There are so many cities that ask us to come — that beg us to come — and we were in Austin last year and we had so much fun, I said, 'Let's just go back there,'" Kimmel said.

Kimmel has fallen in love with Austin for the same reasons many do: the people, the vibe and the food, something he and Guillermo researched in depth last year.

"The food is unbelievable," Kimmel said. "I just like the way things are set up. You just find a great little food truck in an empty lot."

Austin also delivered a few surprises for Kimmel last year, like when former Governor Rick Perry dropped by and received a chorus of boos from the Austin audience.

"People had told me that that was going to happen, but I didn't necessarily believe it until it happened. I felt like it was a wrestling event. All of a sudden, everyone is booing and I was like what's going on here," Kimmel said.

Overall the national spotlight on Austin was good for business — and that's a power Kimmel is aware he has.

"Well I hope it's great for the city. I mean it's a great place and if people see it, they can't help but be excited to come here," Kimmel said. "In fact, I just met some girls who came from the Bronx. They said it was freezing there and they thought about going to Austin because of our show last year and they decided to fly out."

---

To read the full story, head to KVUE. Jimmy Kimmel Live! will tape five shows at the Long Center March 16-20.