Kimmel beats Letterman in 1st night head-to-head

By Associated Press Published: Jan 9, 2013 at 9:08 PM PDT

NEW YORK (AP) - ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" has gotten a warm welcome on its first night airing 30 minutes earlier.

Kimmel went head-to-head Tuesday for the first time against CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" and NBC's "Tonight Show with Jay Leno." According to Nielsen fast national ratings, Kimmel edged out Letterman and ran slightly behind Leno in total viewers.

Tuesday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" was seen by roughly 3 million viewers, only 177,000 fewer than the audience for the "Tonight Show." It beat "Late Show" by 115,000 viewers.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" scored its second-largest audience ever while exceeding the average audience in its previous berth by 59 percent.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" previously aired at 12 a.m. Eastern time, after "Nightline." It now airs for an hour beginning at 11:35 a.m., followed by "Nightline."

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Pullerdawg

Haven't liked Kimmel since he was on The Man Show and that had nothing to do with liking Kimmel. I watched it for women on trampolines and the beer drinking audience and the old guy who could make beer disappear faster than anyone ever. RIP beer drinking dude....you were good!