Jimmy Kimmel says battles with Trump cost ABC, Disney 'billions'
USA Today • • entertainment
Key Points:
- Jimmy Kimmel humorously claimed his conflicts with President Trump have cost ABC and Disney billions, calling himself the worst personnel decision the company ever made.
- ABC suspended "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in September under White House pressure, but Kimmel noted the political battles have boosted the show's ratings by 25% in the key 18-49 demographic.
- Kimmel mocked CBS's programming changes, including replacing Stephen Colbert's time slot with reruns of Byron Allen's "Comics Unleashed," and expressed sympathy for CBS's struggles.
- He praised ABC's ratings rebound with "Dancing With the Stars" but admitted he's now rooting for CBS amid the competitive television landscape.
- Kimmel also joked about upcoming CBS shows like "NCIS: New York" starring LL Cool J and the delayed "Einstein" crime drama, poking fun at their concepts and production delays.