Jimmy Kimmel's return to his late-night show achieved impressive ratings, drawing an average of 6.2 million viewers. This audience size was nearly four times larger than his typical viewership. These preliminary figures do not yet account for streaming numbers and are expected to increase as more data becomes available. The success occurred despite a boycott of the show by over 20 percent of ABC affiliates. The article highlights Kimmel's monologue from his return episode as particularly noteworthy. This strong performance directly contrasts with recent public statements made by Donald Trump. Trump had previously claimed Kimmel was fired due to poor ratings and criticized ABC for giving him his job back. He further asserted that Kimmel's show has a nonexistent audience and lacks talent, alleging it is a platform for Democratic messaging. Trump also suggested ABC's decision might constitute an illegal campaign contribution and hinted at legal challenges. The author criticizes Trump's statements as hypocritical, given Republican claims of supporting free speech and opposing cancel culture.