Greg Gutfeld's inaugural appearance on NBC's "The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon" marked a significant milestone for the program, drawing in its largest audience of 2025 with 1.7 million viewers, as per Nielsen Media Research.
Gutfeld, a familiar face on Fox News, ventured into late-night territory with Fallon on Thursday, where they delved into Gutfeld's previous works. This particular episode, according to Nielsen, "boosted the show to its highest-rated program" since November 2024.
As reported by the Daily Caller, the Thursday episode of "The Tonight Show" experienced a substantial surge in viewership, with a 57% increase, reaching an average of 1.7 million viewers. The show also saw a 13% rise in the coveted 25-54 age demographic, attracting 294,000 viewers.
Furthermore, the segment featuring Gutfeld emerged as the most-watched guest appearance on the show's YouTube channel last week, amassing 974,025 views by Tuesday evening.
Gutfeld's success extends beyond his guest appearance on Fallon. Data from July indicates that his Fox News show continues to dominate its time slot in the second quarter, boasting an average of 3.29 million viewers and approximately 238,000 in the 18-49 demographic, according to Late Nighter.
Notably, Gutfeld's show is the only one to demonstrate growth in both key metrics, with a 31.5% increase in total viewers and a 24% rise among the target demographic compared to the previous year.
In contrast, Fallon's second-quarter average stood at an estimated 1.19 million viewers, with 157,000 in the 18-49 demographic, as reported by Late Nighter. During his appearance on Fallon, Gutfeld shared a humorous anecdote about a past encounter with the host.
He recounted a night at an "illegal speakeasy" where Fallon, in a state of inebriation, tackled him playfully. "I walk into this bar, and Im with my friend Andy. We just got off shooting something, and I look around and go What the hell have I got into? And then I see you, and you look at me and you have your eyes kind of explode. And then you run towards me, and you tackle me like a giant golden retriever. Youre on top of me, and so were wrestling, and then you change, and you start wrestling my buddy Andy," Gutfeld recounted.
Despite the lighthearted nature of the segment, Fallon faced criticism from some media outlets for featuring Gutfeld on his show. The landscape of late-night television is shifting, with hosts not enjoying the same success as in previous decades. CBS's announcement on July 17 to cancel Colbert's "The Late Show" after its upcoming season underscores this trend.
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