Variety is reporting that “Jimmy Kimmel and Disney are working toward reaching a compromise that would allow “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to return to ABC”.
Do you believe that? Do you believe there is a realistic way for Kimmel to return to his late night slot?
I don’t. It doesn’t compute.
-If Kimmel returns and does the same kind of material he will be bounced by the same affiliate groups that bounced him this time.
-And if Kimmel tones it down/becomes more evenhanded in his “comedy”, he will be reviled as a sellout and his core audience will leave him.
Nope, unless it is under wholly different circumstances (i.e. not the late night slot) Kimmel’s return isn’t going to happen. This “negotiation” is a charade, meant to save face for both sides. Disney/ABC can say “see, we would have put him back on, but we couldn’t come to an agreement” and Kimmel can say “see, they would have put me back on but we couldn’t come to an agreement”.
Am I right? Let’s sit back and see. I suggest that, while we’re waiting, we engage in activities that are more important to us than Jimmy Kimmel’s future in late-night TV. Like, for example, whether we remembered to clip our toenails this week.
