Kimmel Smashes Ratings Records Despite Local Station Boycott

Jimmy Kimmel made a big return to late-night TV on ABC on Tuesday, drawing huge viewership numbers despite a partial boycott from local stations.

According to Variety, 6.3 million people tuned in to watch his comeback episode. That’s a major jump from his previous average of 1.77 million viewers earlier this year.

The show’s return came after Disney said it had “thoughtful conversations” with Kimmel about his “ill-timed” comments regarding the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.

Kimmel had sparked controversy when he accused MAGA Republicans of using Kirk’s death to score political points. Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on September 10, and police have charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the murder.

Kimmel addressed the controversy in a tense and emotional monologue during his first episode back. “I do want to make something clear, because it’s important to me as a human and that is you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man,” he said.

“I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.” He added that he had reached out to Kirk’s family and asked for compassion, explaining, “I meant it and I still do, nor was it my intention to blame any specific group for the actions of what was obviously a deeply disturbed individual.”

He also shared a moment from Kirk’s public memorial in Arizona. “On Sunday, Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him,” Kimmel said, visibly emotional. “There is an example we should follow. If you believe in the teachings of Jesus, as I do, there it was. That’s it. A selfless act of grace, forgiveness from a grieving widow. It touched me deeply.”

Even though Disney allowed the show back on the air, some stations still refused to broadcast it.

Nexstar and Sinclair, two major station owners, announced they would continue their boycott, meaning roughly 23 percent of U.S. households couldn’t watch the show live. Despite that, Kimmel’s monologue went viral online, racking up more than 14 million views on YouTube and 5.7 million views on Instagram by Wednesday, according to Rolling Stone.

The suspension of Kimmel’s show had drawn widespread attention. More than 400 celebrities signed an open letter condemning ABC’s decision, while protests formed outside Kimmel’s Hollywood studio.

Even former President Barack Obama spoke out against the suspension, calling it a threat to free speech. Donald Trump initially celebrated ABC’s decision to pull the show but later criticized the network when it announced Kimmel’s return, writing on Truth Social: “I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back. The White House was told by ABC that his Show was cancelled! Something happened between then and now because his audience is GONE, and his ‘talent’ was never there.”

Despite the controversy, Kimmel’s emotional return and heartfelt monologue resonated with millions of viewers and fans online, showing that the late-night host could still command attention even amid backlash.

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