There’s an old adage in pop culture: nothing sells quite like controversy. And if the past few months are any indication, Donald Trump’s attacks on entertainers may be the best publicity money can’t buy.

From Jimmy Kimmel to Stephen Colbert to South Park, attempts by the president and his allies to silence or sideline critics have instead catapulted them to some of their strongest ratings in decades. It’s the latest chapter in a much longer story: politicians trying to censor popular culture, only to make it more powerful.

Kimmel: A Suspension That Supercharged

When FCC chairman Brendan Carr publicly urged affiliates to drop Jimmy Kimmel Live! after Kimmel joked about Trump’s base, ABC suspended the show for a week. Trump cheered, posting online that Kimmel was “talentless” and deserved to be pulled permanently.

Instead, Kimmel’s Sept. 23 return drew 6.26 million viewers, the show’s largest ever for a regularly scheduled episode. That number is staggering on its own — but it came despite 66 affiliates (about a quarter of ABC’s reach) refusing to carry the broadcast.

Online, Kimmel’s monologue exploded. His 28-minute comeback segment racked up 26 million views in 24 hours across YouTube and social platforms, shattering his own records.

Trump fumed and threatened to sue ABC, boasting that his last fight with the network had netted him a $16 million settlement. Kimmel responded with thanks:

“We couldn’t have done it without you, Mr. President. Thank you very much.”

Colbert: A “Cancellation” Boost

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert is still ending next May after CBS announced it would not renew the program. Officially, the decision was tied to parent company Paramount Global’s cost-cutting and its Skydance merger. But the timing — right after months of public and private pressure from Trump and the FCC — raised suspicions.

Trump celebrated the news as a scalp. CBS insisted it was about economics, but Carr’s outspoken criticism of Colbert’s peers made the optics unavoidable.

Viewers responded with curiosity. Colbert’s first show after the cancellation announcement surged 35 percent in total viewers and remained higher through August — a rare summer bump in late-night.

South Park: Mocked Into a Revival

Trump hasn’t formally demanded South Park be canceled, but he has repeatedly bashed the series since its Season 27 premiere in July. The criticism drew national headlines — and sent viewers flocking back to Comedy Central.

The results? Some of the show’s highest ratings in 26 years. The first two episodes averaged over 6 million cross-platform viewers, a level the series has sustained through subsequent weeks.

For a program that has thrived on controversy for decades, Trump’s attacks felt almost like fuel.

A Familiar Pattern

This isn’t the first time politicians have inadvertently turbocharged entertainment. In fact, history is full of examples:

Elvis Presley (1950s): Critics, including politicians and clergy, condemned his “vulgar” dance moves. The outrage made him more famous, turning him into a cultural icon.

George Carlin (1970s): His “Seven Dirty Words” routine sparked an FCC crackdown and a Supreme Court case. The controversy cemented his reputation as a free-speech hero.

2 Live Crew (1989): The Miami rap group’s album As Nasty As They Wanna Be was targeted by Florida politicians and law enforcement. The resulting obscenity trial gave the record platinum sales and cultural immortality.

The Dixie Chicks (2003): After criticizing President George W. Bush over the Iraq War, they faced boycotts and blacklisting. Instead of vanishing, they became symbols of artistic dissent — and later won five Grammys for their comeback album.

N.W.A. (1989): The FBI’s infamous letter condemning “F*** tha Police” turned the track into an anthem of defiance, boosting its popularity and ensuring its place in history.

Each case demonstrates the same paradox: efforts to censor or cancel often make the target larger than life.

The Streisand Effect in Action

In internet culture, this phenomenon has a name: the Streisand Effect. When Barbara Streisand sued to suppress photos of her Malibu home in 2003, the lawsuit backfired, spreading the images far more widely.

The Trump era may be the Streisand Effect at scale. Every time the president rails against entertainers — whether a talk-show host or an animated series — he ensures they dominate the headlines, often drowning out other stories.

But Is This Really About Ratings?

There’s another interpretation: Trump may not mind boosting his critics. He thrives on conflict and attention.

By making Kimmel, Colbert, and South Park into foils, he creates distractions from more difficult issues:

Struggles to contain Russia’s war in Ukraine.

Tariff policies that have slowed growth and spiked inflation.

Renewed focus on the Epstein files from his own right flank.

In this light, the ratings bump for late-night comedy may be a side effect — not a miscalculation. Trump knows few things dominate news cycles like his feuds.

The Limits of the Surge

It’s worth noting that late-night ratings spikes often fade quickly. Kimmel’s record audience may not hold week to week. Colbert’s summer bump came amid light schedules. And South Park’s surge, while impressive, may plateau.

Still, the bigger lesson remains: attempts at political censorship rarely work as intended. They energize audiences, mobilize defenders, and give entertainers cultural relevance they might otherwise lack.

Conclusion: What Doesn’t Kill You Makes You Trend

From N.W.A. to Carlin to the Dixie Chicks, history shows that political overreach in culture almost always backfires. In 2025, Trump’s attacks on Kimmel, Colbert, and South Park fit neatly into that tradition.

Kimmel turned suspension into his biggest audience ever. Colbert saw cancellation rumors drive curiosity. South Park soared to its best numbers in decades.

The secret to TV ratings success? It might just be the president trying to cancel you.