Jimmy Kimmel Live! received a huge boost in viewership when the late-night show returned to ABC last night.
The show was allowed back on the air after parent company Disney said it had “thoughtful conversations” with the host over his “ill-timed” comments about the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
According to Variety, Kimmel’s return was watched by 6.3 million viewers on Tuesday night.
That figure is particularly impressive given that an estimated 23 percent of households in the US were unable to tune in due to an ongoing boycott by local station owners Nexstar and Sinclair.
Before being taken off the air, Kimmel’s show was averaging about 1.77 million viewers during the second quarter of this year.
Kimmel’s comeback monologue also went viral online, accumulating more than 14 million views on YouTube and 5.7 million views on Instagram as of Wednesday afternoon. The clip is now Kimmel’s most-watched upload in more than a year, Rolling Stone reports.
Kimmel’s show was suspended by ABC after he sparked outrage by accusing MAGA Republicans of using Kirk’s killing to score political points. Kirk was fatally shot at Utah Valley University on September 10, and police have since charged 22-year-old Tyler Robinson in connection with the murder.
“We had some new lows over the weekend, with the MAGA gang desperately trying to characterize this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk as anything other than one of them, and doing everything they can to score political points from it,” Kimmel said on September 15.
FCC Chair Brendan Carr called Kimmel’s comments “truly sick” and suggested ABC’s license could be at risk over it. Shortly afterward, ABC moved to suspend Kimmel’s show. While ABC reversed its decision on Monday, Nexstar and Sinclair have since said their networks will not air the talk show.
Before Kimmel returned, big names in Hollywood and politics — like former President Barack Obama — quickly condemned his show’s suspension and raised questions about free speech. More than 400 celebrities signed an open letter against his suspension over the weekend, while protests erupted outside of Kimmel’s Hollywood studio last week.
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President Donald Trump also weighed in. He initially celebrated ABC’s decision to preempt Kimmel’s show last week, but went on to criticize the network when they announced it would resume airing.
“I can’t believe ABC Fake News gave Jimmy Kimmel his job back,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “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.”
In his much-watched monologue, Kimmel was choked up and visibly emotional as he explained his intentions in last week’s episode.
“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,” Kimmel said. “I don’t think there’s anything funny about it.”
Kimmel went on to tell his audience he had since sent love to Kirk’s family and asked for compassion.
“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,” Kimmel said.
The host also praised a “beautiful moment” that had taken place at Kirk’s public memorial in Arizona over the weekend.
“On Sunday, Erika Kirk forgave the man who shot her husband. She forgave him,” Kimmel said, as he choked up again. “That 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.”
