'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' scores its biggest audience in a decade
Jimmy Kimmel made his return to "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" this Tuesday after a short suspension, and the comeback episode pulled in 6.26 million viewers—the show's biggest adult 18-49 audience in over 10 years.
Disney-ABC lifted the suspension amid fan backlash and FCC scrutiny.
Kimmel addresses Trump's jab on comeback episode
Kimmel landed in hot water for comments on September 15 about the alleged assassin of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which sparked backlash and drew FCC scrutiny.
On his return, he addressed Donald Trump's jab that he had "no talent" and "no ratings," quipping, "Well, I do tonight!"
He also defended political satire against what he called bullying from the Trump administration.
Lawmakers push back against government pressure on broadcasters
Even though major affiliates like Nexstar and Sinclair skipped airing the episode in nearly a quarter of US homes, Kimmel still racked up millions of TV viewers—plus over 26 million views on social media within a day.
Some lawmakers are now pushing back against government pressure on broadcasters.