Photo courtesy of BravoTV ©
Billed by Kathy Griffin, herself, as a show that would not feature celebrity guests, she, Bravo & her production company, Embassy Row (who also produce Andy Cohen’s ‘Watch What Happens Live’), set themselves up either to break that promise or wish it was one they never made. After debuting at just under 1 million viewers in its first episode on April 19th ratings declined by over 25% in its second week despite now having a strong lead in with the debut of Kim Zolciak’s wedding spinoff ‘Don’t Be Tardy for the Wedding’. By week three, the well known band Wilson Phillips joined Kathy as her guests and if they don’t qualify as ‘celebrities’ then their parents certainly do. Its strongest lead in to date occurred May 31st, 2012 when Tardy drew more than 2m viewers at 9.30pm, but despite that and a scene in Kathy regarding Kim Zolciak’s wig removal, ratings stubbornly stayed below 800,000 as is its average after 7 episodes of its freshman season and by the time it wrapped they had dropped to just 721,000 as its finale with Jimmy Kimmel couldn’t even attract 500,000 viewers.
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| Episode | Time | Date | Lead-in | Audience | 18-49 Audience | 18-49 Demo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S01E01 | 10:00 PM | 19-Apr-12 | RHoA | 987,000 | 640,000 | 0.50 |
| S01E02 | 10:00 PM | 26-Apr-12 | DBTFTW | 726,000 | 458,000 | 0.40 |
| S01E03 | 10:00 PM | 3-May-12 | DBTFTW | 803,000 | 454,000 | 0.40 |
| S01E04 | 10:00 PM | 10-May-12 | DBTFTW | 639,000 | 387,000 | 0.30 |
| S01E05 | 10:00 PM | 17-May-12 | DBTFTW | 669,000 | 469,000 | 0.40 |
| S01E06 | 10:00 PM | 24-May-12 | DBTFTW | 744,000 | 432,000 | 0.30 |
| S01E07 | 10:00 PM | 31-May-12 | DBTFTW | 797,000 | 513,000 | 0.40 |
| S01E08 | 10:00 PM | 7-Jun-12 | DBTFTW | 731,000 | 521,000 | 0.40 |
| S01E09 | 10:00 PM | 14-Jun-12 | DBTFTW | 841,000 | 546,000 | 0.40 |
| S01E10 | 10:00 PM | 21-Jun-12 | RHSpec20 | 636,000 | 391,000 | 0.30 |
| S01E11 | 10:00 PM | 28-Jun-12 | rpt | 585,000 | 298,000 | 0.20 |
| S01E12 | 10:00 PM | 5-Jul-12 | rpt | 499,000 | 311,000 | 0.20 |
| Season 1 Average | 721,417 | 451,667 | 0.35 | |||
Source: Nielsen Media Research via TVByTheNumbers and TheFutonCritic
Bravo was well aware that once Kathy lost its lead-in that Kathy Griffin’s by now much maligned talkie would struggle for ratings, which was why they made her backtrack and have ‘celebrities’ on her show. For the last three episodes Anderson Cooper, Sharon Osbourne and Jane Fonda and last night, Jimmy Kimmel joined Kathy, and if they helped her ratings, it’s very hard to see how. Anderson helped Kathy to a season low of 636,000, the following Fonda & Osbourne helped her to a new season low of 585,000 and this week Jimmy Kimmel out did them all and helped Kathy drop below half a million for the first time, just 499,000 tuning in with only 0.20 in the 18-49 demo. This means the last three episodes without a Housewives linked lead-in, averaged just 573,000 with 0.23 in the 18-49 demo. Which is 26% lower in total audience and 40% lower in the ad buyer’s 18-49 demo than the first 9 episodes.
It doesn’t look like Ling, Fonda & Osbourne managed to boost ratings either and indeed may have knocked Anderson Copper of the bottom slot. Although we don’t yet have the ratings for Kathy last night, we do know that it failed to make it into last night’s Cable Top 100 Shows. With the bottom show having an 18-49 demo of 0.20 it’s fair to assume that both last night’s Kathy as well as Andy Cohen’s Watch What Happens Live, with Minogue & Katie Couric both scored an 0.20 or lower.
ADDITIONAL UPDATE 6.30pm EDT June 29th, 2012
The news is in and it is bad…well for everybody except Anderson Cooper, that is. The ‘celebrity guest’ reboot hasn’t worked with last night’s show finding a new season low, with only 585,000 viewers tuning in at 9pm and, as we suspected, just a 0.20 in the 18-49 demo. I wonder how Jimmy Kimmel is feeling for next week’s episode – can he beat Cooper and or Fonda/Osbourne’s episodes ratings?
Anderson must be somewhat of a glutton for punishment as this article from the New York Daily News recently pointed out “Move Over Kelly Ripa & Anderson Cooper,” noting that New Jersey Housewife Melissa Gorga and her husband Joe ’s appearance on “Watch What Happens” Sunday drew 1.7 million viewers while Cooper and Ripa had only 873,000 on Cohen’s show the next night,” as yes by lending his bold face name to both Andy Cohen & Kathy Griffin, he gets his name in Bravo Press Releases see Exhibit A and Exhibit B , but sadly him appearing on either of their shows seems not to do much for their ratings.
Last night ‘Kathy’ dropped to season low ratings with only 636,000 viewers turning in with 0.30 in the 18-49 demo. I guess you could say that Anderson was ‘Miss Advised‘ when he decided to appear. I can’t see him rushing back to Bravo TV anytime soon.
UPDATE June 15th, 2012
Whether it was Kim Zolciak’s record breaking nuptial‘s or the first of Kathy’s new celebrity guests, but ‘Kathy’ saw a healthy climb from last week gaining 110,000 viewers or 15%. Lance Bass & AJ McLean joined Kathy and next week Anderson Cooper swaps his oft frequented WWHL chair with Andy Cohen to sit with Kathy.
UPDATE June 13th, 2012
UPDATE June 13th, 2012 – Bravo Press Release
UPDATE June 8th, 2012
Prior to Kathy’s 8th episode airing on June 7th, 2012, and presumably to try & boost its ratings, BravoTV tweeted out that Kathy had ‘lied’ and that ‘big’ celebrities would now be on her show. Unfortunately, despite the pull of Chelsea Handler & Whitney Cummings, the episode only drew 731,000 viewers and remained the lowest rated of Bravo’s original programming this week.
I absolutely love Kathy, BUT here’s why Kathy’s talk show won’t ever, ever work: a talk show is a step-down in level of entertainment than what My Life on the D-List was. You can’t go from allowing people to follow your life everywhere and in a way, inviting people into your life as she did with the D-List, where she depicted her life as a celebrity. The show won Emmys because it was interesting and it was cool to discover how a lot of stars really were and her struggle to get more famous, etc. I don’t understand how they think a show like Kathy could work AFTER they did the D-List, in a world where we already have Chelsea Lately which is a female comedian hosting a talk show about celebrities with a liberal pov and crude jokes. Before, we used to see Kathy living her life and going places and meeting people. Now we see her on a couch talking about people, and that everyone can already do at their houses. It loses interest. It gets old. Kathy doesn’t really come across as very likeable either. It’s a shame. Ending the D-List was a big mistake, even though I knew it was hard to come up with new D-list things to do since she was so big, but hell, they could’ve just followed her around and it would still be funny. She was, after all, a comedian and a reality star. Kathy is funnier when given the right timing for her jokes and when she is also the only voice and pov on the show.
Good points Eliza. I think both her gay male and straight female audiences would rather watch a reality show with her boyfriend shirtless by the pool with his brother, both wearing speedos or lounging around her mansion in his underwear than endure a second season of this debacle, LOL! I hope he doesn’t leave her, poor girl can’t take any more bad news.
…and there it is. Thank Bryce, you just made where you’re coming from very clear.
Thank you pete for showing us all you’re a homophobe. Congrats, you discovered I’m gay by my cryptic post. Her toy boy is cute, his younger brother (who was on her show) is even hotter, seeing the two of them half-naked would be a lot more entertaining for me (and the vast majority of bravo viewers) than suffering through another season of that failed talkshow. Don’t you get it? Stop defending the indefensible. No objective person can say the kathy show was successful, take the blinders off.
I beg to differ! After reading Bryce’s post I actually have NO IDEA where he’s coming FROM!
But I sure as hell know where Bryce wants to GO (and go down on, it sounds), in order for him to tune in for a Season 2! Who can blame him- what guy doesn’t enjoy being entertained like that? LOL
I adore Kathy Griffin and the fact that she doesnt kiss celebrity ass. I hope she gets a second season and a chance to give her show an identity. While I’m here, BRAVO, COOL IT WITH THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF WHATEVER. THERES NOTHING REAL ABOUT THEM!
Doesn’t kiss celebrity ass? Did you watch the jane fonda episode (the 2nd lowest rated episode in the series btw) her nose was so brown after that show even her biggest fans (2 of whom I watched it with) were disgusted. And if you’re going to worship a celebrity at least pick one that’s more relevant to the year 2012, half of her audience wasn’t even born when jane fonda last made a hit movie. This whole debate is over for all practical purposes anyway, her finale was the worst rated episode of all which means certain death for any show. There’s no way a sane Bravo executive would be stupid enough to spend any more money on this Titanic, this is the “rosie show” on OWN times 10 in TV disasters. The ratings say it all, this series is canceled. Would you invest your money in a second season after seeing this ratings performance in the 1st in which Bravo paid more for the show than it got back in advertising? I didn’t think so…
hi bryce. great point about rosie’s show. she was on a no ratings network that might not even survive to the end of this year. they are trying to take all of oprah’s power away because they blame her for the failure of the network. rosie’s show was doomed before it began. kathy however had a powerhouse ratings lead in for most of her season, tardy for the wedding blew the roof off of bravo, yet she still had horrible ratings before and after it ended. there’s no excuse except bravo fans hated the show. it was pretty painful to watch.
Exactly, right on Jessica.
There can be funny and there can b cruel, making fun of what ppl look like or knowing a person is down and kicking them anyways is not cool. The woman is heartless and annoying. plz no second season and Andy, check out RHNY ratings, plz, stop the nightmare. there are a million better shows than these two. Ive found a new fav channel when bravo has been my fav for 5 yrs, please listen, obviously by ratings, Im one of many no longer tuning in.
She just doesn’t have it anymore & very few watch her acts as a whole….. IMO, the show is a bust & time to move on…..
How long did she expect the “i’m a poor d-lister outside the celebrity tent like you” act to last when she wears diamonds and only flys 1st class? It didn’t help when she dumped the average joe husband and got herself a toy boy just like every other aging hollywood has been that she always makes fun of. She loves anger politics and tries to bash Republicans at every opportunity, even on a light celebrity talk show, andy cohen probably has the exact same political opinions she does but he isn’t a sad, angry harpy, he’s sweet and entertaining, even to, heaven forbid, Republican guests. Jimmy Kimmel had to call her out on her finale by explaining to her the gay slang she likes to throw around is racist, she almost fell off her chair. Her last act of hypocrisy was pledging not to have celebrities then desperately seeking them when her ratings collapsed. Her live show crowd (a few hundred at most) is a lot different than the TV audience of hundreds of thousands, she doesn’t come over well as a TV host even on a gay friendly network. She’s not likeable. Sandra bernhard had the same problems with her disasterous appearances on watch what’s happening live, there’s a difference between a cabaret act and hosting a television show. They’ll never be a 2nd season of “kathy” you heard it here first.
Yes! What Bryce said.
Bryce, first off, I haven’t seen Kathy or anyone else come across as bitter and angry as you. Second, how do you know how Kathy flys? (sic). Finally, she “dumped” her husband because HE WAS STEALING MONEY FROM HER! Seriously, you’d think someone who is so clearly obsessed with Kathy would know that.
As a non-American, I can’t even believe the Republican party is taken seriously in the US. In a time when people need to accept and embrace each other, the Republicans are trying to codify discrimination into law. Bravo to Kathy for calling them out on it!
As for changing to celebrity guests, who else but Kathy would eat shit and tell it like it is? She came clean and said she had to change the format after insisting on “civilians” only initially. I have no problem with someone who accepts and admits their missteps. It’s when they say one thing, and do another, like Republicans, that they look like assholes.
So the whole point of your post was to bash Republicans and you can’t even vote in our elections? What country do you come from so we can make fun of your political parties if you have any? Great addition to the dialogue…ps for future reference, when your heroes fall flat on their faces be honest enough to admit the show stunk, even kathy couldn’t defend how bad the show was and she wouldn’t want her fans doing it either. It makes you look like a partisan hack and nobody will take your posts seriously. Stick to the ratings for her show and the facts, nobody cares about your political agenda, you sound as bitter and angry as she does.
This one goes to Pete… It’s 1 & 1… Will there be a rePete? Can Bryce do twice? STAY TUNED!
Heard it got renewed…
Kathy used to be hilarious. Her current show is awful…a talk show format doesn’t work for her. Cancel it!
kathy griffin used to be a funny, cute, witty personality. now she is just an unattractive woman who takes out her anger on being ugly on everyone. it is sad to witness her fall before my eyes, but she did it to herself.
I completely disagree with the previous comments. Part of the intrigue of Kathy’s show is that it is constantly evolving, and the audience is privileged to see the bones of the program itself. Kathy is incredibly talented and has the ability to make any topic hilarious. I loved the episode when someone dropped something backstage (presumably), and there was a loud noise. Most hosts would ignore it and power through, but Kathy manages to highlight these hiccups and seamlessly integrate them into the show to make them funny and memorable. Her no bullshit approach is so pleasing to watch. I’m disheartened to hear that the ratings aren’t doing the greatest because I’ve never enjoyed a talk show as much as I’ve enjoyed the first season of Kathy.
I love Kathy, I think the show is very funny. I do miss her reality show though. I love the theme song.
I hope the show has a chance.
Agree about the theme song–& they replay it too often. I love Kathy & I’m
hanging in there but honestly I’d much rather watch her reality show
I couldn’t agree more. With the format as it is, the only people who are going to watch are “Kathy” fans. In order for a show to be successful, it has to bring in non existing fans and make them fans. I love Kathy and even I was bored to death with the segments with “regular” people on her couch. Who really cares what they have to say?? The Maggie segment HAS to stay. Kathy should also be doing more “out of the studio” segments because this is where she shines.
I love the Kathy Show and Kathy Griffin. I was happy to see she had her own show now because it was long overdue. Please Bravo give the show a chance to develop itself and find an identity. Some ideas from a fan:
1. Stay on topic!! She is all over the place and will start talking about an issue but will go off topic about 1 minute into it.
2. Celebrity guest are okay as long as they are the type that are not afraid to go there and speak their mind. Like the episode with Todd Glass.
3. Get rid of the Maggie segment. I know fans love her but she really brings nothing to the show
4. Get rid of the THEME SONG!!
I think you should model Chelseas show a little more but do it Kathy style.
#1. 2 much LBGTQI….. talk and w Kimmel really?
#2. Theme song kitschy idea but gross in delivery
#3. Love Kathy and Bravo >> hit the reboot switch plz
I couldn’t resist commenting on the great points you brought up, my numbers refer to your numbers:
1.Agreed. She did it with kimmel in order to get an awkward panic reaction from him, instead he played it calm and cool, even told the boys to bite his ears when all she wanted was cheek kisses, it was like he was saying “this all you got?” the segment backfired and she looked desperate. That’s the perfect way to treat kathy btw, howard stern and kimmel do it to her all the time, don’t react but act calm and bored, even suggest things more outrageous to her, it neuters her completely.
2.The autotune theme song was HORRIBLE. I thought it was just going to be an opening show joke bit like SNL does but when it came back the next week…what was she thinking??? Maybe they spent so much making the video they felt they had to keep showing it. It reminded me of a music video Luann or another singing housewife might star in, that’s not a compliment btw.
3.Exactly.