Jimmy Kimmel once again proved to be ratings poison, with Sunday night’s Oscar telecast drawing a pathetic 16 million (give or take) viewers.

These early numbers could increase when the final numbers hit Tuesday.

Regardless, Roger Friedman is embarrassing himself with his “Oscars are Back!” headline. How could the Oscars be back when last year 16.6 million tuned in, and that was a catastrophe—when that was the second-lowest viewership in Oscar telecast history?

Here’s a look at the last decade:

How could the Oscars be back when it was deemed a humiliation when only 23.6 million tuned in back in 2020? Until the Woke Nazis infested Hollywood, the Oscars hit between 30 and 40 million viewers without breaking a sweat. Are we really going to grade on a woke curve where 16 million viewers means the Oscars are Back!.”

Really?

Even when, in 2017, 32.9 million tuned in, which is twice as many as last night?

I can’t find it now, but one of the bootlicking trades said the Oscars would be in serious trouble if last night’s telecast failed to attract 20 million viewers, especially with two of the biggest hits of the year up for Best Picture — Avatar: Way of the Water and Top Gun: Maverick.

Here’s what’s happening…

Because Hollywood, the Oscars, and that smug little N-word-spewing-blackface-wearing Jimmy Kimmel are so loathed by 95 percent of America, the insulated bubble of lies the entertainment industry uses to live with itself will attempt to now lie to itself about 16 million viewers being some sort of triumph.

THE OSCARS ARE BACK, BABY!

No.

No, the Oscars are not back.

Oscar ratings suck because…

The Oscars suck.

And the Oscars suck because…

N-word-spewing-blackface-wearing Jimmy Kimmel sucks.

And the Oscars suck…

Because most of the movies suck.

People and real Americans enjoyed Elvis, Avatar 2, and Top Gun: Maverick. And last night, those three movies — the only ones normal people enjoyed — won none of the major awards.

Oh, the Oscars used Top Gun: Maverick to advertise the telecast, but the American people could not be hoodwinked into wasting a precious Sunday night to watch once again a bunch of pretentious, anti-art, anti-human-nature movies no one has watched—not even for free—take home all the gold.

Plus, there are no stars to gawk at anymore.

Why did we use to look forward to the Oscars and tune in by the tens of millions? Because we loved Johnny Carson and Billy Crystal. Because movies we enjoyed actually won. Because it was a night of glamor instead virtue signaling, a night of gratitude and humility instead of attacks on half the country.

Those who did tune in last night were exposed to an admitted child groomer winning Best Director.

Everything Jimmy Kimmel touches sinks in the ratings.

If Jimmy Kimmel touched gold, it would turn into something as worthless as a Republican ballot in Maricopa County.

Follow John Nolte on Twitter @NolteNC. Follow his Facebook Page here.