August Ratings: Rosie O’Donnell, Jelly Roll Help Kimmel Hold 11:35 Lead

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Jimmy Kimmel Live! held onto its top spot in the 11:35 p.m. ratings in August, leading its broadcast rivals in both total viewers and adults 18–49 despite Kimmel himself remaining on summer vacation.

According to Nielsen Live+7 ratings data, the ABC show averaged 2.10 million viewers across 12 first-run episodes, up 17% from July. Its adults 18–49 audience also edged up 1% to 211,000.

Two newsmaking guest-host weeks helped fuel the rebound. Rosie O’Donnell and Jelly Roll each took week-long turns behind Kimmel’s desk, as did Anthony Anderson.

NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon was essentially steady in August, averaging 1.54 million total viewers, down 1% from July, and 186,000 adults 18–49, up 3%.

CBS, meanwhile, continued airing repeats of Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed and Funny You Should Ask throughout the month.

The 11:35 p.m. edition of Comics Unleashed averaged 767,000 total viewers, down 2% from July, while growing 6% among adults 18–49 to 93,000. Its 12:05 a.m. second half-hour averaged 558,000 viewers, up 1%, and 65,000 adults 18–49, up 12%.

At 12:35 a.m., Funny You Should Ask averaged 483,000 total viewers, up 2% month-over-month, and 60,000 adults 18–49, up 5%. Its 1:05 a.m. half-hour held steady at 423,000 total viewers while rising 4% in the demo to 54,000.

At 12:37 a.m., ABC’s Nightline averaged 838,000 total viewers, essentially unchanged from July, and 92,000 adults 18–49, up 2%.

Late Night with Seth Meyers was in repeats for the entire month as the show continued its extended summer break, with the NBC series drawing a nightly average of 701,000 total viewers and 89,000 adults 18–49.

The Daily Show was also off for the entire month, with Comedy Central airing other programming in its 11 p.m. time slot. As a result, the show has no August monthly average.

Fox News’s Gutfeld! averaged 2.71 million total viewers in August, down 7% from July. The show moved in the opposite direction among adults 18–49, growing 6% to an average of 180,000 viewers.

Bravo’s Watch What Happens Live averaged 380,000 total viewers across 11 first-run episodes, down 13% month-over-month, and 107,000 adults 18–49, down 18%.

Complete ratings charts for August 2026 follow below.

Note: Monthly ratings averages include only first-run episodes, except in time periods where no first-run episodes aired. Time period listed is the most common airtime for each show.

Live+ 7 Ratings — All Viewers (P2+)

Live+ 7 Ratings — In the Demo (P18-49)

Ratings data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.