Jimmy Kimmel’s Ratings Surge After Ethan Hawke’s Viral Cameo

In a striking turn of events, ratings for *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* have soared following a temporary suspension from ABC, highlighted by a now-viral segment featuring actor Ethan Hawke. The episode aired on September 24, 2023, and showcased Hawke interrupting Kimmel’s monologue, which addressed the recent controversy surrounding the show’s suspension after Kimmel criticized former President Donald Trump.

The backdrop of this incident involves Kimmel’s remarks on Trump’s response to the death of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk. His comments drew significant backlash, prompting Brendan Carr, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), to criticize the host. Following this, affiliates of ABC, including Nexstar and Sinclair, announced they would preempt the show, leading to widespread viewer outrage and calls for a boycott of Disney, which owns ABC.

Successful negotiations allowed *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* to resume broadcasts on Tuesday, September 19, although some affiliates maintained their ban. In response to the controversy, Kimmel opened the latest episode by thanking over 400 entertainers who signed a letter from the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) in support of free speech.

During the skit, Hawke humorously “crashed” the segment, claiming he had signed the ACLU letter, only to reveal that his name actually did not appear on the list. The playful exchange, which included Kimmel checking the letter and discovering Hawke’s omission, was met with laughter from the audience. Hawke quipped, “I think I signed it twice, man… Dude, I signed it. I know I signed it,” before he used a pen to sign the letter while Kimmel was distracted.

Earlier in the episode, Kimmel had addressed Trump’s comments made on Truth Social, where the former president suggested he would “test” ABC, referring to previous financial dealings with the network. Kimmel responded, stating, “Only Donald Trump would try to prove he wasn’t threatening ABC by threatening ABC.”

The ratings spike for *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* has been notable. The monologue, titled “Trump Threatens Jimmy Kimmel & ABC, Escalator Fiasco at the UN & Ethan Hawke Interrupts for Support,” garnered over 2.3 million views within six hours of being uploaded to YouTube. This surge in viewership can be attributed to both the topical nature of the content and the fact that it provided access to audiences in areas where the show was not broadcast due to the affiliate ban.

Despite the restrictions, the program has achieved its highest ratings in over a decade, with Nielsen reporting that 6.26 million viewers tuned in on September 19, a significant increase from its average of 1.42 million viewers during the previous year. Kimmel’s emotional 28-minute monologue has also accumulated over 19.4 million views on YouTube since it was posted, far exceeding the typical 240,000 views average.

The recent events surrounding *Jimmy Kimmel Live!* have ignited discussions about censorship and free speech, with many viewers expressing their intent to follow the show more closely as a form of protest against perceived media limitations. One viewer commented, “I will watch this every day from now on out of spite,” while another remarked on the importance of access to democratic discourse, saying, “Thank you for airing this on YouTube for those of us who live in Sinclair’s and Nexstar’s censored areas.”

As the situation continues to unfold, it remains clear that the intersection of entertainment and political discourse is not only reshaping viewership dynamics but also reigniting conversations about the role of media in shaping public opinion.