Byron Allen’s approach to late-night television is producing some notable numbers.
On Monday, Aug. 24, Allen’s “Comics Unleashed” beat both ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” and NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” among adults ages 18–49, according to ratings data reported by LateNighter.
The CBS comedy series drew 161,000 viewers in the coveted 18–49 demographic during the 11:35 p.m. half-hour. “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” drew 158,000, while “The Tonight Show,” which aired a repeat, drew 154,000.
The result is particularly notable because “Comics Unleashed” was also a repeat.
According to LateNighter, “Comics Unleashed” was up 84.5% among adults 18–49 compared with the same half-hour the previous Monday. Its total viewership also increased 14.5% week over week.
The positive momentum continued after midnight. “Funny You Should Ask,” another Allen-produced program, delivered its second-best household performance since moving into its new CBS late-night slot in May. It also beat NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” in total viewers during the second half-hour by 13%.
Most encouraging for Allen and CBS is the performance of the entire two-hour block. Compared with CBS’ August 2025 averages for “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and “After Midnight,” Allen’s programming was up 13% among adults ages 18–34 and 1% among adults 18–49.
The numbers offer another indication that Allen’s strategy of using broad, evergreen comedy programming can have staying power. Because episodes of “Comics Unleashed” and “Funny You Should Ask” aren’t tied to the news cycle, they can continue attracting audiences when replayed.
And there is a larger historical significance to what Allen is doing.
Allen, who is the CEO and founder of Allen Media Group, parent company of theGrio, is the first African American with a show in the prime late-night time slot on a Big Three network.
While the ratings race remains competitive, the latest numbers provide another encouraging data point for Allen’s ambitious expansion into network late-night television—and demonstrate that his programming can attract younger viewers while holding its audience across the night.
