When Jimmy Kimmel was tossed off the air, I didn't really think he'd be gone for good. The fact that no contract was broken made it clear that Kimmel was still very much the host of an ongoing show. It sure did make for some great fodder for leftists to raise false alarms about, though. Everyone who had access to a working microphone screamed that fascism was here, and Kimmel being tossed off the air proved it.
Now that we know Kimmel wasn't actually going anywhere, it proves that the entire media spin was a lie at its core. Moreover, the left going gonzo over Kimmel, but staying completely quiet about Google's admission that it was censoring conservatives, shows just how much they actually care about "fascism."
Read: The Left Got Awfully Quiet About YouTube's Announcement
But Kimmel is back now, and according to Fox News, Sinclair is going to stop preempting his show as well. A statement made by Sinclair Broadcast Group said it will "honor its obligations" when it comes to network programming:
"Our objective throughout this process has been to ensure that programming remains accurate and engaging for the widest possible audience. We take seriously our responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national network programming," Sinclair said in a statement.
"Over the last week, we have received thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers, and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives. We have also witnessed troubling acts of violence, including the despicable incident of a shooting at an ABC affiliate station in Sacramento. These events underscore why responsible broadcasting matters and why respectful dialogue between differing voices remains so important," the statement continued. "In our ongoing and constructive discussions with ABC, Sinclair proposed measures to strengthen accountability, viewer feedback, and community dialogue, including a network-wide independent ombudsman."
SEE ALSO: Sinclair Makes Official Decision About ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live’ After Preempting Show
Kimmel was tossed off the air after he planted the blame for Charlie Kirk's murder squarely on a "MAGA" person.
Upon Kimmel's return, leftists celebrated as leftists do...
HOLY SHIT. Shelby N. Campbell (@soup4change), a Democrat running for Congress in Michigan, posted a video to her TikTok LAUGHING because Charlie Kirk is dead while bragging that Jimmy Kimmel got his show back.
— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) September 25, 2025
"Hey MAGA, how bad does it hurt that Jimmy Kimmel is back, but you… pic.twitter.com/ugly0VpX3G
...and Kimmel even saw what CNN's Brian Stelter calls a "ratings bonanza," which scored 6.3 million viewers according to Nielsen measurements.
That said, I anticipated a high amount of traffic to his YouTube, as well as a bump for his show. When you see a guy come down from the proverbial gallows, you're going to want to hear what he has to say, but Kimmel's problem is that, at the end of the day, what he has to say just isn't all that interesting.
I want to remind everyone that Kimmel's ratings were awful before any of this took place, and often fell behind other late-night show hosts.
Jimmy Kimmel will have his highest ratings of his career over the next week or so then his show will be cancelled at the end of his contract. Not because of fascism or censorship. Simply because his show sucks and no one watches it. pic.twitter.com/IXW9UhGyHp
— Storm (@stormrobinson) September 23, 2025
Moreover, it wasn't just the low ratings that were plaguing him; it was the fact that his ratings were missing key demographics by a mile. As Fox News reported, Kimmel's 25-54 audience fell sharply over a decade:
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" has seen its ratings drop significantly over the past decade, as the program averaged 2.4 million viewers in 2015 and has been trending downward ever since. Kimmel’s program averaged 2.2 million in 2016 and 2017, fell to 2.1 million in 2018, dropped to 1.9 million in 2019 and sunk to 1.8 million in 2020. By 2021, "Jimmy Kimmel Live" managed only 1.5 million nightly viewers.
Kimmel’s 2025 average viewership of 1.6 million is down 37% compared to 2015 totals.
However, the decline is even more significant among the advertiser-coveted demographic of adults, ages 25-54.
"Jimmy Kimmel Live" averaged nearly 1 million viewers among the critical demo in 2015 but plummeted to only 261,000 in 2025. The ABC late-night program shed a staggering 72% of the audience that helps pay the bills over the past decade.
So while this "ratings bonanza" is fun, it's likely got a pretty short half-life, and you're going to see the audience drop off bit by bit, and probably far more quickly than Kimmel would like.
In other words, Kimmel is having his 15 minutes.
Moreover, according to Variety, Kimmel's current contract ends in 2026, and rumor has it that Kimmel was thinking about stepping away as it was.
My guess is that this decision has now been made for him. He doesn't have to think about it; it's likely happening whether he wants it to or not.
The problem is, Kimmel just isn't marketable. He's good for a quick boost in ratings thanks to drama, but no one is continuously tuning in and staying tuned in. That kind of unpredictability is hard to sell to advertisers, and Disney stands to lose more money than gain with Kimmel.
So as far as I can see, Kimmel can have his little victory dance and enjoy his time in the spotlight, but he'd better soak it in now, because it's dimming and will go out completely sooner than later.
And good riddance.
