Jimmy Kimmel on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on Tuesday, 23 September. Image: Getty Images via Irish Star.
(The Post News) – ABC has confirmed that “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” tripled its ratings on its first episode since the late-night show was suspended due to Jimmy Kimmel’s comments on conservative Charlie Kirk’s murder case.
The network announced on Wednesday that Kimmel’s comeback episode became the show’s “highest-rated regularly scheduled episode” in a decade, drawing 6.3 million television viewers. His 28-minute monologue also garnered 17.9 million total viewers within 23 hours, as audiences tuned in to hear Kimmel address the weeklong suspension, which many saw as an infringement on free speech.
The views on YouTube of the highly anticipated speech have also been attributed to broadcasting groups Sinclair and, soon after, Nexstar choosing to remove the show entirely from their 70+ channels. It is not clear when or if the fractured relationship can be mended, but negotiations with the ABC affiliates are ongoing.
Kimmel Addresses Free Speech Infringement and Kirk Comment
In the episode’s most-watched monologue, Kimmel opened the Tuesday night episode by thanking the public and media personalities who had supported him both publicly and privately during this politically charged period. He then criticized the government’s control over media regulation.
The host of the long-running show said he took the freedom of speech for granted until Stephen Colbert announced his show’s final season due to the Trump administration coercing affiliates to pull the show from the air. He remarked, “That’s not legal, that’s not American, and it’s so dangerous.”
He criticized President Donald Trump-appointed FCC chair Brendan Carr‘s public threats before the affiliates pulled the show, calling the move “unintelligent.” He pointed out how this censorship of criticism contradicts Trump’s and Carr’s public advocacy for free speech and added that their move had backfired, as millions more viewers were now tuning in.
Kimmel also choked up when addressing his Kirk comment. He emphasized that he did not mean to “make light of the murder of a young man.” I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.” He noted that he is still genuine in asking for compassion, as he was when he posted an Instagram message upon learning about Kirk’s death.
Kimmel clarified that he did not mean to assign blame to either the far right or the far left for the shooter’s actions, describing the individual as “deeply disturbed.” He said his intention was to show “the opposite point” but acknowledged that he understood why some conservatives assumed he was assigning blame.
As someone who is in the public eye and gets violent threats towards him and his family, he maintains that violence for opposing opinions is not the solution.
Please share your thoughts; contact Lukhona via email: journalist-lukhona@thepostnews.net
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