Jimmy Kimmel admits political monologues have cost him 'commercially'

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Jimmy Kimmel on Losing GOP Viewers: 'Not Good Riddance, But Riddance'

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ABC late night host Jimmy Kimmel is looking back at his foray into politics on his show and, while he doesn’t regret what he’s said, he admits that it may have hurt his bottom line.

In May of 2017, Kimmel opened an episode of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to reveal the circumstances of his son’s birth, which was met with complications to his heart. In an emotional and tearful monologue, he revealed his son was born with a heart disease that required surgery. Thanks to his experience with the doctors and nurses who helped save his child’s life, he used subsequent time on his show to call on fans to contact their local representatives about renewing the Children’s Health Insurance Plan and much more.

The decision to break from comedy for some serious topics was controversial for the funnyman, and now he’s reflecting on the impact that it’s had on his show. Unfortunately for him, it’s not all positive.

"According to polls I’ve seen, it has cost me commercially,” he confessed to Oprah Winfrey in the latest issue of O Magazine (via Entertainment Tonight). “That’s not ideal, but I wouldn’t change anything I said."

Kimmel, who recently hosted the Oscars, has continued to use the platform of his show to discuss issues of health care, even updating his audience after his son’s second heart surgery was successful by bringing him on the show. It seems that the negative polls he referred to have not influenced his decision to move forward with his political point of view.

"I know my job is, for the most part, to entertain people and make them laugh. That said, if I can be selfish every once in a while and talk about something serious that’s important to me, then I do want to take that opportunity," Kimmel said.

"But I don’t want to abuse my position. I pick my battles. Ninety percent of the time I’ll joke around, but some of the jokes, I hope, make people think."