James Talarico Interview Is Already Jimmy Kimmel’s 2nd Most Viewed YouTube Video of 2026
The late-night host has explained that his talk with the Democratic candidate didn't air on ABC due to "threats" from the Federal Communications Commission The post James Talarico Interview Is Already Jimmy Kimmel’s 2nd Most Viewed YouTube Video of 2026 appeared first on TheWrap .
Jimmy Kimmel's interview with Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico for Texas' upcoming election has surpassed 8.3 million views on YouTube since its upload, marking it as the second-most viewed video of 2026 on the late-night host's official channel. This ranking only comes after a January KPop Demon Hunters performance by Ejae, Audrey Nina, and Rei Ami.
The 21-minute interview, released directly on the internet, debuted ahead of the traditional "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" airing on ABC. Kimmel cited "threats" from the Trump-appointed Federal Communications Commission (FCC) as the reason for airing the interview on YouTube, a claim that the White House refuted as a "false narrative." The show's host emphasized the importance of the video's availability, stating that it would be the best source for Senate candidates' information in the current political climate until November.
Following the video's success, YouTube updated its viewer count metric to register a view the instant a video starts playing, rather than requiring a minimum engagement time. ABC and Kimmel are reportedly in talks to extend the talk show into the 2026-2027 season.
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