this post was submitted on 23 Sep 2025
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Can't speak to the ratings, but given the nature of things, I wouldn't be surprised if ratings were a fairly secondary concern.
This was a PR nightmare, people who didn't care one way or another about the show were outraged. People were cancelling Disney+ subscriptions that had nothing to do with the show.
The administration may have even pushed things back in place so they could come out with this backpedaling with some degree of 'credibility'. They saw that the Colbert way worked without unacceptable blowback, but more direct threats and immediate action are the line that starts making things riskier. Besides, the late night hosts are relatively harmless outlets for those upset with the administration, bread and circuses and all. Sure they may boo the administration, but it doesn't matter. They were booing all through the 2024 campaign season and it didn't phase things at all.
So Kimmel is probably safe until at least the midterms are settled, no matter the ratings.
Oh, that's why he's walking it back! Must have got a call from the Mouse.