It nothing new that late night talk shows are competitive. This holds especially true for the treasured 11:35 pm time slot. The big network late night hosts Jimmy Fallon (NBC), Jimmy Kimmel (ABC) and Stephen Colbert (CBS) typically run a tight ratings war especially among the coveted late night audience that ranges from 18 to 49 years old. Jimmy Kimmel has been the dark horse of the three but this is all changing.
“Jimmy Kimmel Live!” has had tough competition with “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” and “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert”. Until recently Stephen Colbert’s show has had the higher ratings of the three shows with Kimmel’s show coming in last. However since the 2017-2018 season’s start, Jimmy Kimmel’s ratings have jumped nearly 10% with a nearly 5% jump in viewers aged 18-49.
Why has Jimmy Kimmel become a close competitor in the late night ratings war?
Empathy
The election of President Donald Trump is the gift that keeps giving for comedians. Kimmel and the other late night hosts have plenty of material to work with. However Kimmel’s ratings increase may not be for his jokes as much as his empathy. In recent weeks Kimmel has addressed tragedies and comes across as honest and relatable as he appeals to the government to change laws. Kimmel has taken issues close to his heart and tried to figure out how policies can help make the world a better and safer place. His honesty renders with the average voter.
Universal Health Care
Last spring Jimmy Kimmel’s son was born with a heart defect. The infant required surgery and will continue to require surgery in the future. At the same time President Trump vowed to repeal Obamacare. Kimmel opened his monologue one night and choked back tears as he told viewers about his newborn son. With the repeal of the Affordable Health Care Act Kimmel’s son’s condition would be considered a “precondition” which would not be covered by health insurance. This hit home for viewers who could relate on how the changes in healthcare would affect them and their loved ones. Kimmel made the concerns around the political issue relatable to his audience.
Gun Control
Following the October 1 mass shooting in Las Vegas, Jimmy Kimmel opened with a 10 minute monologue about the need for better gun control laws. Kimmel, a Las Vegas native, began his monologue saying: “I want this to be a comedy show. I hate talking about stuff like this”. It’s clear how Kimmel (and the rest of us) are tired to waking up to find about another mass shooting in the midst of natural disasters. Kimmel pointed out that gun control laws are a public safety issue just like protecting people from a fire in a tall building. Kimmel’s honesty and heartfelt plea to the government to strengthen gun controls just as the issue was coming to the floor of Congress. It seems that many politicians don’t want to discuss the issue even though a shooter used automatic weapons to kill 59 concert goers and would hundreds more. Many fear that the issue will go away before something is done about it and it happens again. Kimmel is keeping the issue relevant.
Trump Jr.
Kimmel has delivered plenty of jokes about Donald Trump. President Trump has not been silent about how he feels all of the late night hosts are being unfair to him. Jimmy Kimmel’s latest tweet war with the Trump family may also have helped increase his ratings. President Trump recently tweeted that the late night talk show hosts’ jokes are “unfunny and repetitive” as well as “anti-Trump” accusing the late night comics of being influenced by the Democratic party. Kimmel shot back offering the President his show as a forum if he’d quit the presidency.
Kimmel kicked off his October 9 monologue discussing what he did over the weekend, went to a wedding, got a flu shot, and wound up in a fight with the president’s son on Twitter. In response to Kimmel’s offer of his show to his father, Donald Jr. shot back “Thoughts on Harvey Weinstein?”, after an expose in The New York Times expose accusing the Hollywood mogul accused of sexual misconduct. Kimmel’s responded that he thought it was disgusting. Trump Jr. responded that he looked forward to the late night comedian’s monologues in the coming week stating “You’re probably due for a change if only for a moment or two”. Kimmel shot back “great – in the meantime enjoy this!” with a link to Donald Trump’s taped conversation with Billy Bush for “Inside Edition” which indicated Trump’s sexual misconduct because he was famous.
Kimmel’s response was spot on. It’s what we were all thinking. He shot back with the truth instead of going on a twitter rant. Kimmel’s jokes are funny, but this honest “everyman” side to him relates to viewers and makes his show relevant today.
Follow Us
