Jimmy Kimmel‘s ratings have significantly dropped just two days after his return to late-night television last week, where he appeared with a triumphant smile.
Much attention was given to the surge in ratings during Kimmel’s first show back since ABC imposed a brief suspension over his comments regarding Charlie Kirk’s killer. The anti-Trump comedian attracted over 6.5 million viewers, even though about one in four ABC affiliates did not air the show due to protests from two broadcasters.
However, the situation has changed dramatically. According to the latest Nielsen ratings, Kimmel has experienced a 64% decline in viewership just two days after the return of “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”
Thursday’s episode averaged only 2.3 million viewers, a significant decrease from the previous 48 hours. The drop was even more pronounced in the critical 25-54 demographic, where Thursday’s show saw a 73% reduction in viewers, plummeting from 1.2 million to 334,000.
The conflict between Kimmel and former President Donald Trump began soon after Tyler Robinson turned himself in for the murder of Kirk, a conservative activist credited with helping Trump regain the White House. In his opening monologue on September 16, Kimmel accused Trump and his ‘MAGA gang’ of desperately trying to portray the murderer as anything but one of their own.
This remark triggered a response from ABC and its parent company, Disney, leading executives to demand Kimmel either publicly apologize or face repercussions. When he refused, Disney announced an ‘indefinite’ suspension for Kimmel.
Just a week later, however, it was reported that Disney and Kimmel had reached an agreement for his return, in exchange for a non-apology clarification regarding his comments. This decision infuriated Trump, who has criticized late-night hosts for their left-leaning humor about his administration.
Sinclair and Nexstar, two of ABC’s major broadcasting partners, chose not to air Kimmel’s show last week. On Saturday, both companies announced that Kimmel’s program would resume its regular broadcast on their numerous affiliate stations.
Andrew Kolvet, a spokesperson for the late Kirk’s Turning Point USA organization, condemned Disney’s decision to reinstate Kimmel. He stated, ‘Kimmel is an unrepentant liar who tried to blame Charlie’s assassination on the part of the country that just spent the last two weeks praying and holding vigils.’
For the time being, Kimmel has avoided the fate of his counterpart Stephen Colbert, whose CBS late-night show is set to end in May following the network’s announcement of its cancellation. Despite vocal protests from liberals, CBS has upheld its decision, citing that ‘Late Night With Stephen Colbert’ was losing $50 million each year.
