Jimmy Kimmel bragged about his brief ratings bump after returning from suspension, even going so far as to sarcastically thank President Donald Trump for the boost. But after just a couple of nights, the late-night host’s inflated viewership crashed back to where it usually sits — at the bottom.
The ABC host was yanked off the air for less than a week after making offensive remarks about conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, who was recently assassinated. When Kimmel returned, he opened with a teary monologue that critics immediately slammed as a “non-apology,” claiming he tried to spin his words as simply misunderstood rather than taking accountability.
Kimmel’s first night back drew 6.3 million viewers — three times higher than his usual numbers — but by Thursday the ratings had collapsed, plunging 64 percent to just 2.3 million. In the key advertising demo of adults aged 25-54, viewership fell off a cliff, dropping from 1.7 million on Tuesday to only 465,000 two nights later, according to The New York Post.
The controversy began when Kimmel accused conservatives of trying to twist the narrative around Kirk’s assassin, suggesting the killer was connected to the “MAGA gang.” “We hit some new lows over the weekend with the MAGA gang trying to characterize this kid who killed Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said at the time.
While he tried to walk it back during his return, many viewers weren’t buying it. Critics said the host stopped short of offering any real apology. Andrew Kolvet, a spokesman for Turning Point USA, said Kimmel’s attempt to pivot was hollow. “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,” Kolvet said, adding, “What he’s really saying is that he still thinks it’s fair game to slander conservatives. He would rather advance his own political and cultural agenda than confront the truth.”
Kolvet pressed the point further: “It’s critical that liars admit they lied. There can be no restoration without that. Anything short of that is a fake and scripted cry line designed to endear him to his fans, not to make right the wrong he committed.”
Meanwhile, the Left has tried to turn Kimmel’s suspension into a rallying cry, arguing that Trump’s administration is stifling free speech. But others point out that ABC executives made a business call — not a political one — and were well within their rights to suspend him after he crossed the line.
The post Jimmy Kimmel’s Ratings Spike Crashes Back Down To His Usual Terrible Numbers appeared first on Real News Now.
About Author
