Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late-night television has turned into a somewhat unlikely ratings windfall… and it feels fair to say that the credit for it goes to none other than President Donald Trump.
Kimmel: a suspension that backfired
As you probably know, on September 17, ABC suspended Jimmy Kimmel Live! after the host criticized MAGA supporters’ – and Trump’s – reaction to the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel’s remarks triggered fierce backlash, with affiliate giants Nexstar and Sinclair pulling the show from their schedules and Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr suggesting ABC’s license could be at risk. Disney, ABC’s parent company, said it acted to avoid “inflaming a tense situation.” Given the president’s ongoing blatant commentary in person and on Truth Social about why the presenter, and others, should be removed, there was plenty noise about that influence being felt across the industry.
Trump: Colbert has no talent. Fallon has no talent, Kimmel has no talent. They are next. They are going to be going. You know when Howard Stern went down? When he endorsed Hillary Clinton pic.twitter.com/U5nGeQvVx4
— Acyn (@Acyn) August 6, 2025
But when the show returned on Tuesday night, the controversy only appeared to heighten interest. According to Nielsen data, Kimmel drew 6.26 million viewers, his highest total in years and more than four times his season average of 1.42 million. The audience figure was all the more striking given that nearly a quarter of U.S. households couldn’t access the broadcast because of affiliate boycotts.
Trump’s fury fuels Kimmel’s comeback
Kimmel addressed the suspension with an emotional monologue, insisting he never meant to mock Kirk’s death or blame a political movement for it. “It was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he told viewers, fighting back the tears. But he also accused Trump allies of trying to silence him: “That’s not legal. That’s not American.”
The comedian then twisted Trump’s own rhetoric back on him: “He tried his best to cancel me. Instead, he forced millions of people to watch the show. Backfired bigly.”
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Meanwhile, Trump erupted on Truth Social, calling Kimmel “99% Democrat garbage,” slamming ABC as “Fake News” and hinting at legal action, writing: “This one sounds even more lucrative.”
Kimmel’s digital reach breaks records
The monologue itself ran for more than 28 minutes and went viral online, drawing more than 26 million views across YouTube and other platforms, Disney said. The broadcast also delivered ABC’s strongest 18–49 rating for a late-night show in more than a decade.
For now, Kimmel is back on air, but not for everyone. That tug-of-war ensures the fallout is far from over.
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