‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ Return Ratings Revealed by ABC
The ratings are in! As Jimmy Kimmel returned for the first post-suspension episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday (September 23) night, 6.26 million total viewers tuned in to see the episode on broadcast alone, ABC has announced. That’s despite the fact that dozens of local ABC affiliate stations were preempted by Nexstar and Sinclair from showing the episode, to the tune of 23% of U.S. TV households being blocked.
ABC touts the episode’s 0.87 rating as the series’ highest in more than a decade, since March 12, 2015.
Though the ratings do not currently include streaming figures, the network did also note that Kimmel’s emotional monologue earned a whopping 26 million+ views on YouTube and social media channels.
Kimmel predicted that the ratings for his return would be strong in that same monologue. After reviewing footage of Donald Trump dismissing his talent and saying he got “no ratings,” Kimmel joked, “Well, I do tonight!”
Kimmel returned to the airwaves on Tuesday night, one week after his previous show in which he made comments about the alleged murderer of conservative activist Charlie Kirk that sparked public pressure from the FCC chairman against the network and its affiliates and ABC’s subsequent “indefinite” suspension of the series.
In this September 16 show, Kimmel had said, “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it.”
In his new return monologue, Kimmel reframed that comment to clarify that he was not making light of the murder of Kirk. Through tears, he said, “You understand it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man. I don’t think there’s anything funny about it. I posted a message on Instagram on the day he was killed asking compassion for his family, and I meant it. I still do. Nor did I mean to blame any specific group for the actions of a specific individual. That was actually the opposite of the point I was trying to make. For those who think I did point a finger, I get why you’re upset. If the situation were reversed, there’s a good chance I would’ve felt the same way.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Weeknights, 11:35 p.m. ET, ABC
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I'm glad the ratings were great! This really backfired on Trump. Honestly, nothing that Jimmy Kimmel said that prompted this whole thing was as bad as things Trump says about people on a daily basis. The whole thing was absurd. It was interesting that Jimmy said some republicans also reached out to him on his behalf, believing that freedom of speech is not just a right, but a necessity.
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If they didn't they could be the ones the next time being removed and they wouldn't like that.
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How many times are you libs going to get it through your heads.. it was a cooperate decision..btw, the ‘Left’ invented ‘cancel culture’. Go back and listen to how giddy Kimmel was when Tucker was ‘fired’ from Fox! Now all of a sudden the Dems are up in arms about free speech.. Gmab!
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Trump blames everything and anything on the Democrats If it rains he probably blames it on the Democrats. Seeing that the ratings are higher is he going to blame that on the Democrats too.
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Exactly he Hitler Jr has to blame someone
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Class act.
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So he'll probably be ahead of Colbert for the time being until at least until next May when Stephen does his final shows.
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The main reason the ratings were high was because many people were wanting to see if he apologized.
The high ratings on his return prove that if you treat all sides equally your rating would be better all the time.
That goes for all networks and shows.
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And he didn’t.. give it time! He’s not funny. And he has TDS. He can’t help himself! .. his ratings will go back down. He still hemorrhaging money for the network and eventually he’ll be cancelled. Just wait for it…
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Well, NOT for everybody. Some affiliates are STILL refusing to air his show. Until those disloyal stations change their tune and start airing the show again, it's a small victory.
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We did not get it in Canada???
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Check to see who owns the local ABC affiliate. Stations owned by Nexstar and Sinclair aren't showing Kimmel's show. That's their loss, and the loss of whatever advertisers they have.
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His ratings were so high on Tuesday BECAUSE over half of the people watched just to see if he was going to be man enough to admit that he laid about that young man being maga. He knew before the show was taped that important information but chose to make false accusations anyway.
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Before somebody else corrects me, "lied".
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If you watch what he said he did not imply that the guy was Mega only that they were trying to say anything but the fact that he could possibly be a mega and at the time and still to this day none of us really know anything other than the fact he was just one sick right deranged lunatic just like the guy that attack Pelosi and the January 6 people
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