In a surprising twist of late-night television fate, popular host Jimmy Kimmel has disclosed that his fanbase has dwindled by at least 50% following his pointed jabs at former President Donald Trump. “I’ve lost half of my fans—maybe more than that,” Kimmel lamented during an interview on Stitcher’s “Naked Lunch” podcast, reminiscing about his once-lofty status among Republican viewers, which was bolstered by research conducted a decade ago. His show, “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”, has been a fixture on ABC since its inception in 2003.
During Trump’s initial campaign, ABC executives subtly suggested that Kimmel might want to ease off the anti-Trump humor. However, the comic has remained steadfast, asserting that he won’t curb his critique of Trump, even while acknowledging that a more neutral comedic approach could potentially boost his show’s ratings. Kimmel jokingly informed network executives that they could seek out a replacement host if they wished, a proposition he insists they reconsidered once they understood his seriousness.
Expressing pride in his decision to mock Trump, Kimmel quipped about continuing to broadcast his show even if the former president finds himself in legal trouble. He also defended President Joe Biden, labeling him a “decent human being” and dismissing claims of Biden’s malevolence as indicative of deeper societal issues.
Despite Kimmel’s loyalty to his comedic convictions, his show has faced significant challenges in attracting viewers, with ratings plummeting in recent years. From an average of 2.2 million viewers in 2016, the numbers have shrunk to approximately 1.5 million by 2022, reflecting a decline of over a third.
Talk Show Audience Drop, Bias Against Trump
Kimmel’s struggles are not isolated; numerous talk show hosts have observed similar downward trends in audience engagement. For instance, NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” has seen a drop from around 1.5 million viewers in 2016 to just 786,000 today, according to Fox News. CBS’ “The Late Late Show” has experienced a 36% decrease in viewership, while Jimmy Fallon’s “Tonight Show” has suffered a nearly 60% decline.
In 2018, Fallon even issued an apology for having playfully tousled Trump’s hair during a friendly interview prior to the 2016 election, after critics argued that this act humanized the then-candidate and inadvertently aided his campaign.
Sketch comedy staple “Saturday Night Live” has also faced a similar fate, with its treatment of Trump markedly more critical than that of Biden. An analysis by Fox News revealed that in its first year of Biden’s presidency, the show only mocked him three times, in stark contrast to the eleven parodies of Trump during his first year in office. This shift in focus has contributed to a significant drop in viewership, from an average of 7.4 million in 2017 to 4.7 million today.
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