Jimmy Kimmel’s return to late-night TV after a brief suspension has turned into one of the most-watched moments in the history of Jimmy Kimmel Live.
The comedian not only addressed his absence but also delivered a pointed thank-you to former President Donald Trump for unintentionally boosting his ratings.
The controversy began when ABC suspended Kimmel under pressure from the FCC over comments he made about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. FCC Chairman Brendan Carr suggested on a podcast that broadcasters risked losing their licenses if they failed to “serve the public interest.” That statement, paired with mounting pressure, led major broadcast groups Nexstar and Sinclair to pull the show from 60 markets. ABC then followed suit, benching Kimmel for nearly a week.
His suspension was widely seen as the Disney-owned network bowing to political pressure. Trump, who has often pushed for the cancellation of late-night shows critical of him, quickly became tied to the debate over Kimmel’s absence.
When Kimmel finally returned on Tuesday night, he used his monologue to underscore the importance of free speech while also acknowledging Erika Kirk, whose emotional words at her late husband’s funeral “touched [him] deeply.” The episode struck a chord with viewers. Despite its absence from dozens of U.S. cities, it drew 6.3 million viewers, the largest audience for a standard Jimmy Kimmel Live episode in history, excluding special Sunday broadcasts. Online, the monologue exploded as well, racking up more than 21 million YouTube views in just days.
The record audience marked a 343% increase over the show’s average of 1.4 million viewers from the previous season. During Thursday’s monologue, Kimmel playfully credited Trump for the surge in attention:
“We couldn’t have done it without you, Mr. President.”
Adding to the week’s buzz, Julia Louis-Dreyfus appeared on Thursday’s episode with a surprise gift: a puppy named Ethel. The Veep and Seinfeld star explained her choice by saying, “I thought, it’s been so crazy this last week, that to be with a puppy might do you some good.”
Louis-Dreyfus added that Ethel had her own reason for coming on the show:
“She particularly wanted to come on because she’s a huge fan of the First Amendment.”
The lighthearted moment balanced the tension surrounding Kimmel’s suspension while reinforcing his central message of protecting free speech.
As the dust settles, the incident highlights not only the ongoing friction between late-night comedy and political power but also the resilience of entertainers like Kimmel, who turned a week of controversy into a record-breaking victory.
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