Late Night Ratings: Stephen Colbert Rules Post-Election Wednesday (Nov. 6, 2024)

Note: LateNighter’s late night daily ratings reports are drawn from Nielsen live-plus-same-day data and do not take include delayed and/or streaming views. They are generally posted on a two (business) day delay, which is how they are released by Nielsen.

Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Desi Lydic, and Taylor Tomlinson returned to the air on Wednesday—the night after the 2024 Presidential Election—and laughter didn’t come easy

“You know, I spent a lot of time over the last 17 hours or so thinking about what I would say tonight, what there even is to say tonight—and there’s nothing. Goodnight everybody!,” quipped Kimmel.

“All day yesterday I was walking around proudly wearing my ‘I Voted’ sticker. Today I wore my ‘I Am Questioning My Fundamental Belief in the Goodness of Humanity’ sticker,” said Colbert.

But “the show will go on,” as they say, and more viewers tuned into CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on post-election Wednesday than the competition.

The Late Show averaged 1,842,000 total viewers with 248,000 P18-49 on Wednesday, November 6, per Nielsen live-plus-same-day data. That’s down -14% in total viewers and -13% in P18-49 viewers from the most recent episode (Monday, Nov. 4); but up +10% and +4%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s episode (Oct. 30). Colbert’s post-election night guest was CBS News’ John Dickerson, while Lenny Kravitz performed on the program.

ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! averaged 1,525,000 total viewers with 182,000 P18-49 at 11:35 p.m. That’s down -29% in total viewers and -45% among P18-49 from the most recent episode (a Monday Night Football-boosted Kimmel); but up +16% and +31%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s episode. Crooked Media co-founders Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett, and Tommy Vietor plus their Pod Saves America co-host Dan Pfeiffer, joined Kimmel on Wednesday’s show. Alessia Cara performed.

NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon  averaged 1,301,000 total viewers with 224,000 P18-49 at 11:35 p.m. on Wednesday. That’s up +7% in total viewers and +3% in P18-49 from the most recent episode (Monday, Nov. 4); up +23% and +46%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s episode. Fallon’s guests were Whoopi Goldberg, Rosie Perez, and Conrad Ricamora. Bailey Zimmerman performed on the program.

Following The Tonight Show, the Wednesday, Nov. 6 episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers averaged a solid 955,000 total viewers with 163,000 P18-49. That’s up +12% in total viewers and +27% in P18-49 from the most recent episode (Monday); up +11% and +33%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s episode. Joel McHale and Ali Larter were Meyers’ guests on the program.

Airing after Colbert’s Late Show, After Midnight averaged 635,000 total viewers with 139,000 P18-49 on CBS. That’s up +5% in total viewers and +2% among P18-49 from the most recent episode (Monday); up +23% and +7%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday episode. Zach Noe Towers, Laura Peek, and Guy Branum were Tomlinson’s guests.

Following Kimmel was a new episode of ABC’s Nightline, which averaged 762,000 total viewers with 109,000 P18-49 at 12:37 a.m. That’s down -34% in total viewers and -43% in P18-49 viewers from the most recent episode (Monday); but up +1% and +12%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s show.

Lastly, The Daily Show was guest hosted by Desi Lydic the night after the election, and the episode averaged 528,000 total viewers with 108,000 viewers aged 18-49, per Nielsen live plus same day data. That’s down -2% in total viewers and -33% in P18-49 from the most recent Daily Show (Tuesday’s Election Night special); up +9% and -22%, respectively, from the previous Wednesday’s episode. New York Times columnist and UNC-Chapel Hill sociology professor Tressie McMillan Cottom was Lydic’s guest.

Wednesday’s complete ratings charts follow below.

Live+SD ratings (All Viewers 2+)

Live+SD ratings (18-49 demo only)

Ratings data © The Nielsen Company, used under license.