Kimmel Fires Back at Trump: Late Night's Bold Defiance
Jimmy Kimmel Trolled Donald Trump with a Sneaky Instagram Post, But Will He Survive the Backlash?
The drama continues for Jimmy Kimmel, who has been making headlines for weeks after his suspension from ABC over remarks he made about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. But in a clever move, Kimmel decided to troll Donald Trump on social media, and it's got everyone talking.
During a recent taping of his late-night show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, in Brooklyn, Kimmel teased a special crossover episode with Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers. He posted a photo of the three comedians together on Instagram, captioning it: "Hi Donald!" The post was a clear jab at Trump, who has been vocal about his disapproval of late-night comics.
But what's really going on behind the scenes? Sources close to Kimmel reveal that he's been dealing with some major backlash from Disney and affiliates over his comments about Kirk's assassination. It seems that Kimmel's suspension lasted less than a week, but the damage may have already been done.
The Ratings Are In: Jimmy Kimmel Live! Takes a Nose-Dive in Viewership
Despite his return to TV on Tuesday, Kimmel's ratings were abysmal. According to Fox News, Kimmel averaged 2.3 million viewers on Thursday - a whopping 64 percent drop from his show's record-breaking premiere episode. But what's even more alarming is that Kimmel lost 73 percent of the coveted demographic of adults aged 25-54, getting only 465,000 in the process.
Typically, Kimmel gets about 1.8 million viewers each night on television. The numbers released by ABC don't include viewership from streaming services, but it's clear that Kimmel has some serious work to do to win back his audience.
The Affiliate Blackout: A Major Blow to Jimmy Kimmel Live!
In a shocking move, Nexstar Media Group and Sinclair Broadcast Group decided not to air Kimmel's late-night show on their local TV stations. The blackout lasted for over a week, leaving dozens of cities across the U.S. without access to Kimmel's program.
But when asked about the future of Kimmel's show, Rob Weisbord, Sinclair's chief operating officer and president of Local Media, revealed that Disney will ultimately decide whether or not Jimmy Kimmel Live! will continue long-term.
"I think that's a Disney decision, that's not an affiliate decision," Weisbord told The Scholarly Note. "We leave it at the hands of Disney and Disney corporate to make those decisions."
Kimmel Lashes Out at Donald Trump: 'You Celebrate Americans Losing Their Livelihoods'
In a tearful monologue on Friday, Kimmel claimed that he never intended to make light of Kirk's assassination - but then proceeded to lash out at Trump over censorship. "Unfortunately, and I think unjustly, this puts them at risk," Kimmel said. "The president of the United States made it very clear he wants to see me and the hundreds of people who work here fired from their job."
Kimmel went on to single out FCC Chairman Brendan Carr, accusing him of making a "not legal" and "un-American" threat against late-night comics. He also branded Carr's threat as a "direct violation of the first amendment" and "not a particularly intelligent threat."
As for Trump, Kimmel was clear: he has no intention of backing down from his criticism. "You celebrate Americans losing their livelihoods because he can't take a joke," Kimmel said. "I have no illusions about changing anyone's mind, but I do want to make something clear - you understand that it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man."
The drama may be far from over for Jimmy Kimmel and his team, but one thing is certain: this late-night war between Kimmel and Trump is about to get even juicier.