How do Jimmy Kimmel's ratings compare to Stephen Colbert's Late Show?

1. Summary of the results

The ratings comparison between Jimmy Kimmel Live! and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert reveals a complex picture that depends heavily on timing and specific circumstances. Under normal viewing conditions, Stephen Colbert's Late Show consistently outperforms Jimmy Kimmel Live! in total viewership. According to Q2 2025 data, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert averaged 2.42 million viewers during the 11:35 PM time slot, while Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged 1.77 million viewers, giving Colbert a significant advantage of approximately 650,000 more viewers per episode ^[1].

However, this typical pattern was dramatically disrupted during a specific event when Jimmy Kimmel returned from a production hiatus. Kimmel's return episode achieved extraordinary viewership numbers, drawing 6.26 million viewers - a figure that represents the largest audience in over 10 years for his show and potentially the biggest audience ever for Jimmy Kimmel Live! ^{[2] [3]}. This exceptional performance significantly surpassed Colbert's typical numbers, with The Late Show drawing 2.41 million same-day viewers during a comparable recent episode ^[3].

The circumstances surrounding Kimmel's record-breaking episode were particularly noteworthy, as over 20% of the country couldn't watch due to a blackout by two of ABC's largest affiliate groups, suggesting that the actual potential audience could have been even larger ^[2]. This makes the 6.26 million viewer count even more impressive from a ratings perspective.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several critical pieces of context are absent from the available analyses that would provide a more complete picture of the ratings landscape. The data lacks information about demographic breakdowns, which are crucial for advertisers and network executives when evaluating show performance. Late-night television often competes intensely for specific age groups, particularly the 18-49 demographic that commands premium advertising rates.

The analyses also fail to address seasonal variations in viewership patterns. Late-night shows typically experience fluctuations based on factors such as summer viewing habits, holiday schedules, and major news events that can drive audiences to specific programs. Without understanding these cyclical patterns, it's difficult to assess whether the Q2 2025 numbers represent typical performance or seasonal anomalies.

Streaming and delayed viewing metrics are notably absent from these analyses. In today's media landscape, many viewers consume late-night content through digital platforms, DVR recordings, and next-day streaming services. These viewing methods can significantly impact the complete audience picture and may favor one show over another depending on their digital distribution strategies.

The reason for Kimmel's production hiatus is not explained, which could provide important context for understanding why his return generated such exceptional interest. Whether the hiatus was due to controversy, health issues, contract negotiations, or other factors could influence how we interpret the surge in viewership.

Additionally, there's no information about head-to-head competition during specific time periods, promotional campaigns that might have boosted viewership, or significant guest appearances that could explain rating spikes for either show.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself doesn't contain explicit misinformation, but it does present an oversimplified framework for comparing these shows. By asking for a direct ratings comparison without specifying timeframes, viewing metrics, or contextual factors, the question implies that there's a straightforward answer when the reality is much more nuanced.

The question fails to acknowledge that ratings comparisons can be misleading without proper context about special circumstances, such as Kimmel's return from hiatus, which created an exceptional viewing event rather than representing typical performance. This could lead to false conclusions about the shows' relative popularity based on outlier data points.

Furthermore, the question doesn't account for the different network strategies and time slot advantages that might influence ratings. The Late Show with Stephen Colbert airs on CBS, while Jimmy Kimmel Live! airs on ABC, and these networks have different audience bases, promotional capabilities, and affiliate reach that can impact viewership numbers independently of show quality or popularity.

The framing also ignores industry trends showing that traditional television ratings are declining across all late-night shows, making historical comparisons and long-term performance trends more relevant than snapshot comparisons.