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Jimmy Kimmel Says “It’s Almost Like A Real Show For A Change” As ABC Late-Night Talker Allows In 89-Person Audience

Peter White
·1 min read

“Wow, where did all these people come from?,” asked Jimmy Kimmel. “That’s very nice, I appreciate it.”

The late-night host was welcoming back an audience for the first time in 15 months.

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It wasn’t quite the same as the 400-strong crowd that recently returned to The Late Show as only 89 audience members were allowed in to watch the ABC show.

“We are not fully full yet. We were allowed to let 89 people in. How they arrived at that number, I have no idea,” he said.

But the comedian was evidently enjoying the limited crowd.

“For those of you watching from home, if it sounds different it’s because after more than, what, 15 months, at home and in a mostly empty studio, we finally have a real audience,” he said. “It’s almost like a real show for a change.”

The comedian also looked back at the last joke he told in front of an audience in March 2020.

“The joke was ‘Tulsi Gabbard is still in the running for President – in the same way the movie Cats is still in the running for an Academy Award’,” he said. “That’s about how well it went over the first time too.”

Around half of the Jimmy Kimmel Live audience cheered when asked if they were on holiday and Kimmel joked that the crowd would receive a pair of tube socks and a boiled egg in return for appearing.

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