Kimmel to Return as Study Finds Trump Jokes Outpace Biden by Roughly 10-to-1

Jimmy Kimmel is set to return to his late-night show Tuesday after a one-week suspension tied to controversial remarks about Charlie Kirk, even as a new analysis shows his political humor has skewed heavily toward conservatives—Trump jokes outnumbering Biden jokes by roughly ten to one since January 2023.

According to NewsBusters, a project of the Media Research Center, Kimmel delivered 3,584 jokes about Donald Trump and 336 about President Joe Biden across 7,797 political jokes tallied in 369 episodes. The study examined jokes not only about the presidents but also about Republicans and right-leaning media outlets, and found that conservatives were the butt of 7,189 jokes, compared with 565 about liberal figures and 43 aimed at nonpartisans. The analysis encompasses material from January 2023 to the present.

Since September 2022, 97 percent of Kimmel's guests have been liberals, according to the same dataset. The study also notes frequent references to allies and figures tied to the broader conservative movement, including Melania Trump, Elon Musk, George Santos and other MAGA supporters. The data frame underscores a consistent pattern in which conservative themes and figures dominate the program’s political discourse, even as the host’s guests skew liberal.

Kimmel’s suspension arose from remarks deemed ill-timed and insensitive in the context of ongoing national tensions. Disney, the parent company of ABC, said production would resume, with the show set to air Tuesday night. However, more than 70 ABC affiliates indicated they would not broadcast the comeback. Nexstar, which owns 38 ABC stations, said it would not screen the program, and Sinclair Broadcast Group, with 32 ABC affiliates, echoed that stance.

The episode’s return and the accompanying study come amid broader industry scrutiny of how late-night hosts handle political content and how network and affiliate decisions shape national broadcasts. Proponents of the analysis say it highlights how comedians’ material can reflect and amplify partisan narratives, while critics argue it underscores the need for balance in political humor across programs.

In context, the study’s findings illustrate a persistent tilt in Kimmel’s monologues and guest lineups over the past two years, a period marked by high visibility for late-night political satire and ongoing debates about the boundaries of commentary on-air. As Kimmel returns to the stage, audiences will be watching not only the jokes themselves but how the show navigates the evolving expectations of networks, affiliates and viewers alike.