Standard tv host Jimmy Kimmel has revealed that he has misplaced no less than half of his fanbase after cracking jokes in opposition to former president Donald Trump.
“I have lost half of my fans—maybe more than that,” Kimmel stated in an interview with Stitcher’s “Naked Lunch” podcast. “Ten years ago, among Republicans, I was the most popular talk show host, at least according to the research that they did.” The “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” present has been airing on ABC since 2003.
When Trump was first operating for workplace, executives at ABC had “hinted” that Kimmel could be higher off backing away from anti-Trump jokes.
Nevertheless, the comic insisted that he’s not going to cease joking about Trump regardless of agreeing that extra impartial comedy would assist the rankings of his present.
Kimmel instructed executives that they will rent another person to host the present if they need however in accordance with Kimmel, they backed off once they knew he was “serious.”
Claiming that he was “proud” to talk in opposition to Trump, Kimmel went on to joke about nonetheless airing exhibits when the previous president “goes to jail.”
The comic additionally defended present president Joe Biden, saying that he’s a “decent human being” it doesn’t matter what anybody thinks about him. Biden is “certainly not evil” and people who consider so have gotten “some real problems,” Kimmel stated.
Kimmel’s present has struggled to get viewers in latest instances, with rankings considerably dropping throughout the previous few years. In 2016, Jimmy Kimmel Stay garnered 2.2 million viewers on common, a quantity that has declined by over a 3rd to 1.5 million in 2022.
Discuss Present Viewers Drop, Bias In opposition to Trump
Kimmel isn’t the one discuss present host who has seen viewers numbers fall prior to now years. Different liberal hosts have additionally seen a decline in viewership.
NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” which attracted round 1.5 million viewers in 2016 now solely has a viewership of 786,000, in accordance with Fox. CBS’ “The Late Late Show” has misplaced 36 % of viewers throughout this era. Jimmy Fallon, the host of “Tonight Show” has seen viewership decline by virtually 60 %.
In 2018, Fallon apologized for ruffling Trump’s hair throughout a cordial interview weeks earlier than the 2016 presidential race. Anti-trump critics claimed that the motion had humanized Trump and helped him within the elections.
Sketch comedy program “Saturday Night Live,” which has been very biased in the way it treats Trump as in opposition to Biden, has additionally suffered a drop in viewers numbers.
In accordance with an evaluation by Fox Information, the present solely satirized Biden thrice throughout his first 12 months in workplace. In distinction, Trump was satirized no less than 11 instances in his first 12 months. In 2017, the present used to common 7.4 million viewers, which has now fallen to 4.7 million.
In case you discovered this text fascinating, please think about supporting conventional journalism
Our first version was printed 25 years in the past from a basement in Atlanta. At present, The Epoch Occasions brings fact-based, award-winning journalism to tens of millions of People.
Our journalists have been threatened, arrested, and assaulted, however our dedication to impartial journalism has by no means wavered. This 12 months marks our twenty fifth 12 months of impartial reporting, free from company and political affect.
That’s why you’re invited to a limited-time introductory provide — simply $1 per week — so you’ll be able to be a part of tens of millions already celebrating impartial information.