People don’t find Jimmy Kimmel funny anymore
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Executive summary
Claims that “people don’t find Jimmy Kimmel funny anymore” are partly supported by long-term declines in linear TV viewership but contradicted by periodic ratings spikes and large online engagement tied to controversy; Kimmel averaged about 1.77 million viewers in Q2 2025 (down from ~2.4 million in 2015) even as his comeback monologue drew millions of online views and a one-night TV surge [1] [2]. Opinion pieces and conservative outlets explicitly argue he’s “not funny” or has become a “boring” political pundit [3] [4], while mainstream outlets report rebounds and record engagement after high-profile moments [2] [5].
1. Ratings show erosion over a decade, but not collapse
Nielsen-era numbers and aggregated reporting show a clear decline from Kimmel’s mid‑2010s peak: industry analysis notes Kimmel averaged about 2.4 million viewers in 2015 and roughly 1.77 million in the second quarter of 2025, reflecting a multiyear slide common across late night as viewing habits fragment [1]. That decline underpins the “not as funny to as many people” narrative, but the data do not show the program vanishing — Kimmel remains a mid‑to‑upper tier late‑night performer on ABC with episodes still drawing near‑million audiences in many weeks [5] [6].
2. Controversy temporarily reverses the trend
When Kimmel was suspended and then returned after criticism over a monologue, his return episode became a major event: Reuters and other outlets reported a surge that produced a 10‑year high among adult viewers for the night and millions of online views for his monologue compilation [2]. TV‑week reporting showed certain weeks where Kimmel topped the 18–49 demo or significantly outpaced rivals thanks to a lead‑in or emotional segments [7] [6]. Those moments show that controversy and newsworthiness still create spikes in reach even if baseline viewership is lower [2].
3. The “not funny” argument is often ideological, not purely comedic critique
Several opinion pieces and partisan outlets frame Kimmel’s comedic decline as a consequence of his political turn. Conservative commentators and some columnists argue Kimmel has shifted from joke‑telling to political punditry and label him “not funny,” reflecting ideological disagreement as much as a pure assessment of comedic quality [3] [4] [8]. Mainstream reporting — including The New York Times and Reuters — focuses more on the newsroom and free‑speech implications of his suspension and the audience response, rather than pronouncing his material unfunny [9] [2].
4. Platform shift complicates any simple “people don’t find him funny” claim
Multiple sources emphasize changing viewing patterns: streaming, YouTube, and social clips have reshaped late‑night audiences. Even as linear TV numbers dropped, Kimmel’s monologue videos have drawn massive online views [2]. Trade and aggregation sites show fluctuating engagement scores and ranking [10], indicating that audience attention has migrated across platforms rather than disappeared entirely [5] [10].
5. Political pressure and suspension changed the conversation about comedy
The suspension episode and subsequent debate over whether regulators or the White House pressured ABC made Kimmel’s show a political story as much as an entertainment one; reporting documents high‑profile criticism and institutional responses, which in turn affected audience behavior and coverage [11] [2]. Some columnists argue the episode revealed Kimmel’s willingness to act as an activist comedian; others warn about threats to editorial independence — both frames shape perceptions of his humor [12] [11].
6. What the sources do not settle
Available sources do not mention a definitive, representative audience survey asking “Do you find Jimmy Kimmel funny?” and thus do not quantify the proportion of viewers who subjectively judge his comedy as unfunny. Nor do the sources provide a comprehensive content analysis showing a permanent artistic decline independent of politics; most metrics are viewership, engagement, and opinion pieces, not measured comedic quality (not found in current reporting).
7. Bottom line for the claim
The assertion “people don’t find Jimmy Kimmel funny anymore” is too broad. Measured TV audiences have contracted since 2015 [1], and critics — often from conservative outlets — explicitly say he’s no longer funny because he leans political [3] [4]. At the same time, his show still posts strong episodes, and controversies produce huge short‑term audience surges and social‑video engagement [2] [6]. Sources show a mixed reality: a diminished but still potent TV presence, polarized perception along ideological lines, and the platform shift that complicates any single verdict [1] [2] [3].