Jimmy Kimmel’s Comeback Monologue Draws 6.26 Million Viewers

Jimmy Kimmel’s comeback episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live! attracted 6.26 million viewers, Disney said, despite the show being unavailable on nearly a quarter of ABC affiliates. The figures are based on Nielsen Preliminary Fast National Live+Same Day Program Ratings for Sept 23, according to a report in Business Insider.

The late-night show usually averages about 1.6 million viewers a night, The Guardian stated. In the second quarter of this year, the programme averaged around 1.77 million viewers, Business Insider had earlier reported.

This was Kimmel’s first broadcast after ABC, owned by Disney, temporarily suspended him following controversial remarks about the killing of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.

Disney said in a press release, cited by Business Insider, that “in addition to linear ratings, the monologue has garnered more than 26 million views across YouTube and social platforms.” According to The Guardian, the comeback monologue is now Kimmel’s most-watched segment on YouTube.

Kimmel’s previous record came in 2017, when he spoke emotionally about his newborn son Billy’s life-saving open-heart surgery. Other highly viewed monologues include his take on Will Smith slapping Chris Rock at the 2022 Oscars (13 million views), his reaction to the 2017 Route 91 Harvest music festival shooting in Las Vegas (10 million views), and his comments on Donald Trump’s re-election in November 2024 (nine million views), The Guardian reported.

In his nearly 30-minute comeback monologue, Kimmel acknowledged that Disney had suspended him under pressure from the Donald Trump administration. He clarified his comments on Kirk’s killing and made a strong defence of free speech.

“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 clarified that he never meant to hold any group responsible for the act, which he described was the work of “a deeply disturbed individual.” He said that his remarks may have come across as poorly timed or unclear, “but I understand that to some that felt either ill-timed or unclear, or maybe both.” He also added that he understood why some people might feel he was pointing blame, saying, “If the situation was reversed, there’s a good chance I’d have felt the same way.”

Kimmel described his suspension as “anti-American”, adding, “This show is not important. What is important is that we get to live in a country that allows us to have a show like this.”

He also praised Erika Kirk, the widow of Charlie Kirk, for offering forgiveness to the accused killer during the memorial service.

The surge in viewership followed Disney’s temporary suspension of Kimmel’s late-night show, prompted by pressure from the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission regarding his remarks on the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk. The suspension sparked a national debate, drawing criticism over free speech restrictions and denouncement of the Trump administration’s heavy-handed approach.

Disney reversed the decision on Sept. 22 after discussions with Kimmel and growing pressure, The Guardian reported.