When Kimmel stepped back onto his set after the holiday hiatus, the studio buzzed with the usual mix of relief and anticipation. He opened with a sly nod to the recent awards ceremony that had just aired, pointing out the oddity of a former president taking the host's chair. The joke landed on the surprisingly thin viewership the show pulled, and Kimmel couldn't resist nudging the former commander-in-chief about the numbers. The audience laughed, the band kept a steady beat, and behind the scenes producers exchanged knowing glances-another night of late-night banter that reminded everyone why the genre thrives on the quick-draw humor of its hosts.