The #FireColbert Controversy Gave Stephen Colbert’s ‘Late Show’ Its Highest Ratings Since 2015

Judging by the latest overnight ratings for Stephen Colbert’s The Late Show, he wasn’t kidding when he addressed the so-called #FireColbert controversy by saying he’d “do it again.” Earlier this week, the comedian delivered a scathing monologue targeting Donald Trump after the president walked out of an interview with Face the Nation‘s John Dickerson. Twitter activists decried the diatribe’s final insult as “homophobic,” and encouraged viewers to boycott the program’s advertisers and CBS in general until their hashtag’s promise came true.

Not only did this not happen, but according to The Daily Beast, the attention is helping. How, you ask? Thursday’s Late Show episode earned a 2.5 rating, which easily overcame The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon‘s 1.9. The new numbers represent a 19% increase from the previous Thursday, and a 32% increase from the same night last year. They’re also Colbert’s best ratings since his show premiered in September 2015. Of course, Colbert was simply speaking from the heart when he said he’d repeat what he said about Trump if given the chance. Considering the politicized attention’s positive affects on the ratings, however, he may be inclined to stick to his guns for reasons other than conviction.

In the months since Trump’s inauguration, Colbert’s program has routinely beat Fallon’s decidedly less political show in the ratings. So much, in fact, that The Tonight Show has tried doing more political material just to catch up. Judging by all The Late Show staff’s pizza parties and Colbert’s upcoming Daily Show reunion, however, that won’t be happening anytime soon.

(Via The Daily Beast)

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