"Jimmy Kimmel's return to late-night TV after his suspension over remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk was nothing short of a spectacle. Disney said the comeback episode on Tuesday reached 6.26 million viewers, the show's biggest audience in a decade, despite not airing on nearly a quarter of ABC affiliates. The opening monologue also drew more than 26 million views on YouTube and social media. In Thursday's episode, Kimmel even said the suspension helped boost his ratings, making it the second-most-watched in the show's history."
"Bill Maher ignited outrage after calling US military actions in Afghanistan "cowardly" in the aftermath of 9/11. He contrasted America's reliance on cruise missiles launched from afar with the hijackers' willingness to die, sparking widespread backlash. The showdown prompted ABC to cancel his show "Politically Incorrect" in 2002 after sponsors pulled out. But Maher turned the flash point into a career reset, launching "Real Time with Bill Maher" on HBO in 2003, which has now run for 22 years."
Jimmy Kimmel returned to late-night TV after his suspension over remarks about conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Disney said the comeback drew 6.26 million viewers, the show's highest in a decade, despite not airing on nearly a quarter of ABC affiliates. The opening monologue gained over 26 million views online, and Kimmel said the suspension helped boost ratings, making it one of the show's most-watched episodes. Late-night flare-ups can either elevate hosts or end their shows. For example, Bill Maher's post-9/11 'cowardly' remark about U.S. actions in Afghanistan led to advertiser withdrawals and ABC canceling Politically Incorrect, though he later launched Real Time on HBO.
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