Jimmy Kimmel Live Moves to Brooklyn Amid Suspension and Ratings Surge

Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" has returned to the air following an indefinite suspension by ABC after Kimmel's controversial comments about the murder of Charlie Kirk and criticism from the Trump administration. The show is relocating to the Brooklyn Academy of Music for a week, marking the seventh time it has been broadcast from Brooklyn, featuring a star-studded lineup including Stephen Colbert, Tom Hanks, Ryan Reynolds, Spike Lee, Emily Blunt, and Bruce Springsteen. Despite the suspension and ongoing preemptions by about 70 ABC affiliates, the show has seen a significant ratings surge, reaching its highest viewership in a decade with nearly 6.3 million viewers on TV and millions more on social media. Kimmel has acknowledged the controversy, defended free speech, and joked about evading the FCC's attempts to censor the show by moving locations. Broadcasters Sinclair and Nexstar continue to block the show, emphasizing the need for respectful dialogue, while Disney/ABC insists on its return. Kimmel’s move to Brooklyn is both a strategic and personal return, as he was born and raised in the borough, making it a meaningful setting for the show’s comeback week.