Kimmel: ‘Maybe the days of fun are over’ on late-night TV

Comedian Jimmy Kimmel in a recent interview suggested “the days of fun” on late-night television could be over due to the current political environment.

“I never really thought about it that way. Maybe you’re right,” Kimmel told Vulture when asked if there is still a place for late-night hosts who do not discuss politics on air. “Maybe we’ll never go back. Maybe the days of fun are over, but I like to think that they aren’t.”

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Kimmel prominently entered the political fray with an emotional plea earlier this year over ObamaCare and pre-existing conditions, as he revealed that his son was born with a heart defect.

The late-night host told the website that he doesn’t think “politics affect daytime television.”

“Ellen DeGeneres is doing pretty well without talking about a lot of this stuff, for example,” he said.

But the comedian said his personal experience with his son influenced his decision to discuss politics on his show.

“So that’s what prompted me to speak out in a way that a lot of people noticed, but the truth of the matter is, we have been talking about politics for a very long time,” Kimmel said.

The political banter has appeared to pay off for Kimmel, whose show is boasting year-over-year gains in total viewers, in addition to viewers in the 18- to 49-year-old bracket, according to Nielsen Media Research. The show is also up overall by 9 percent in total viewers and 4 percent in the younger bracket.