Overview

• ABC pulled Jimmy Kimmel Live! on September 17 and restored it to its regular slot on September 23 after controversy over Kimmel’s September 15 monologue about the Charlie Kirk shooting.
• Despite not airing in roughly 60 cities and continuing preemptions that cover about 20–23% of U.S. households, Tuesday’s comeback drew 6.3 million viewers and far outpaced the show’s season average.
• Kimmel’s return monologue has surpassed 21 million views on YouTube, and he jokingly thanked President Trump on Thursday for helping deliver the ratings surge.
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus appeared Thursday with her puppy Ethel, called Kimmel’s recent stance “brave and powerful,” and quipped that the dog is a fan of the First Amendment.
• The ongoing affiliate refusals by Sinclair and Nexstar stem from Kimmel’s remarks about accused shooter Tyler Robinson, which set off the suspension and fueled continuing political dispute over the incident.