Jimmy Kimmel, recently suspended indefinitely, has hosted only one Republican guest on his late-night program over the past three years.
That appearance came in 2023, when MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell joined the show.
During the interview, Kimmel placed Lindell inside a claw machine.
He told viewers that the stunt was meant to help Lindell conquer “his debilitating fear of machines,” a reference to Lindell’s allegations of fraud involving voting machines in the 2020 election.
Kimmel added that Lindell had to conduct the interview from inside the contraption “because it’s hilarious.”
Lindell later claimed that Kimmel would only agree to the appearance if it involved humiliating him, according to the New York Post.
The suspension of the ABC late-night host follows increasing criticism of his program’s political slant.
Research from the Media Research Center, a watchdog group, reported that in 2025 alone, Kimmel hosted 13 left-leaning guests and did not feature a single Republican.
The group also reviewed his comedic material and concluded that 97 percent of his jokes targeted conservatives.
The study identified former President Donald Trump as Kimmel’s top subject, the focus of 1,128 jokes.
Entrepreneur Elon Musk was another frequent target, with 154 jokes directed at him.
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth was mentioned 71 times.
In contrast, President Joe Biden was the subject of only 26 jokes during the same timeframe.
The Post separately reviewed Kimmel’s monologues following his return from summer vacation on September 2, 2025.
Their findings showed that across nine episodes, Kimmel spent approximately 90 minutes criticizing Trump.
Political strategist Roger Stone commented on Kimmel’s approach, telling the Post that the host had “become a shill for the left and a persistent source of boring unfunny narratives.”
Kimmel’s suspension coincides with a steep decline in ratings.
His audience in August 2025 averaged just 1.1 million viewers, a sharp drop from nearly double that figure in January, according to Nielsen data.
The decline in viewership overlapped with a controversy earlier this month involving comments Kimmel made about conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
Kimmel claimed on air that the assassin who killed Kirk was right-wing, a statement later determined to be false.
The fallout led to several ABC affiliates refusing to broadcast his program.
Reports indicated that Kimmel planned to continue promoting the claim and had no intention of apologizing for the error.
Following those developments, ABC announced Kimmel’s indefinite suspension.
The network has not released details on whether he will return or who might replace him in the time slot.
The decision prompted strong reactions across the political spectrum.
Some left-leaning commentators criticized the move as an infringement on free speech.
Others speculated on whether the Federal Communications Commission played a role in the suspension, though no official statement has been issued on that matter.
The controversy comes at a time when late-night television has faced broader criticism over declining viewership and a growing perception of partisan leanings among hosts.
