Jimmy Kimmel Calls Trump “Woke” as His Ratings Keep Crashing

As a movie reviewer, I recently tuned in to Jimmy Kimmel‘s show following its summer break, only to find him delving once more into familiar territory: Donald Trump. In his opening address, Kimmel playfully mocked the President, branding him as “woke” and alleging that he has adopted the principles of cancel culture. This remark made waves, but the real takeaway is Kimmel’s unyielding commitment to the polarizing content that appears to be driving his audience away.

The “Italy Rumor” Gag

The program started off with Kimmel addressing rumors that he might be considering a move to Italy, given his new dual citizenship.

I’m not planning a move to Italy. Contrary to some speculations, I haven’t mentioned such a plan. As for the rumors about moving into Mar-a-Lago, if given the chance, it would certainly be an interesting way to… well, perhaps create a bit of inconvenience for someone, but that’s purely hypothetical and not my actual intention.

The joke was intended to be humorous, yet it underscored the evolution of Kimmel’s persona: incorporating Trump into almost every witty remark. Over time, his approach to boost ratings has been to focus on politics, despite viewers tending to avoid such topics.

Trump, Colbert, and “Cancel Culture”

Later on, Kimmel shifted the conversation towards the unexpected termination of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. CBS officials stated that the show was incurring a yearly loss of $40 million, but Kimmel suggested it was more about political strategy connected to their parent company’s pursuit of regulatory approval. Following this, he once again jabbed at Trump for his joy over Colbert’s departure.

Kimmel addressed the President, saying, ‘You’re quite a dainty, plump teacup,’ implying a sense of delicacy and roundness. He then questioned if his jests had offended him, wondering if the President was seeking to silence them due to their humor towards him. This seemed unusual given the President’s previous stance against ‘cancel culture.’ Kimmel, in jest, wondered when the President had started embracing being ‘woke,’ a term used for awareness and understanding of social and political issues.

As a passionate moviegoer, I’ve observed that the joke gained traction online, yet it underscored an intriguing aspect – how reliant his content has become on political sparring. Instead of the wide-reaching humor he once offered, Kimmel’s nightly performances have settled into a routine, predictably alternating between jabs at Trump and cheers from his progressive audience.

Ratings Tell a Different Story

For Jimmy Kimmel, the issue lies in the fact that his audience isn’t responding as enthusiastically as they once did. During Q2 of 2025, the viewership for Jimmy Kimmel Live! dropped to an average of 1.77 million viewers. This figure lags significantly behind The Late Show, which was recently canceled and averaged 2.42 million viewers, and only slightly surpasses The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, which averaged 1.19 million viewers.

The ratings for Kimmel’s show have been declining significantly on a weekly basis. Last week, viewership dropped to less than 800,000 viewers, representing a 26% decrease from the previous week. The same divisive approach that initially helped boost his ratings is now causing him to sink even lower.

Colbert to Guest on Kimmel

It seems that Kimmel may be acknowledging his waning power by announcing that Stephen Colbert will appear with him later this month during shows filmed in Brooklyn. On the surface, this appears to be a significant booking: two progressive late-night personalities appearing together. However, it looks more like a promotional strategy intended to benefit from the buzz surrounding Colbert’s unexpected termination.

Recently, Jimmy Fallon, who hosts The Tonight Show on NBC, ventured beyond the usual circles by inviting Greg Gutfeld from Fox News as a guest. This move boosted The Tonight Show’s ratings to record highs for the past few years.

CBS decided to terminate “The Late Show” not due to insufficient viewership – Colbert had consistently led late-night programming with a gradually decreasing audience – but because the financial aspects no longer added up. The high production costs, dwindling advertising income, and fragmentation of audiences made it challenging for even the highest-rated shows to cover their expenses.

Late-Night’s Broader Decline

The hardships experienced by hosts like Kimmel, Colbert, Fallon (and Meyers as well, I suppose…), indicate a potential downturn in the overall health of late-night television. Compared to 2018, advertising revenue for this format has dropped significantly more than half. It seems that younger audiences have migrated towards platforms like YouTube, TikTok, and streaming services, where content is often consumed in short snippets instead of entire episodes.

Kimmel’s YouTube channel might accumulate billions of views, however, these online views do not equate to the daily viewership that television executives aspire for in prime time. As a whole, the genre has contracted to a specialized segment.

Conclusion: Clinging to Partisanship

Kimmel’s catchphrase about Trump being “woke” grabbed attention quickly, but it didn’t significantly shift people’s views that he’s in a creative slump. His viewership is declining, his fan base is becoming more limited, and his focus on divisive monologues has led to a dedicated but shrinking audience.

Inviting Colbert as a guest might generate some attention, but it won’t address the underlying problem: late-night comedies no longer hold significant influence over American culture. For Kimmel, relying heavily on Trump for content could potentially suggest that his show lacks diverse sources of material.

2025-09-09 16:57