'Duck Dynasty' Ratings Record: Premiere of Hit A&E Show Soars in Ratings Following Morrissey, Jimmy Kimmel Feud [VIDEO]

It looks like the feud between vegetarian singer Morrissey and the cast of "Ducky Dynasty" helped make the show's season three premiere on "Duck Dynasty" a huge ratings hit. Not only did the 8.6 million viewers make Wednesday night's episode the most watched "Duck Dynasty" show ever, but also the most watched A&E show ever! Thank you Morrissey!

Just days after Morrissey continued his meatless rampage and refused to go on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" because the Robertson men of "Duck Dynasty" were the other guests, the media coverage of the feud seemed to spark a ratings hit for the A&E show. The animal rights activist called the "Duck Dynasty" cast "animal serial killers." The cast has a family business that makes products for hunters.

Of course Jimmy Kimmel used the cancellation as an opportunity to poke fun at Morrissey and the entire situation.

Morrissey responded to Kimmel's mocking of the situation unfavorably. Morrissey said Kimmel, "found time to jokingly promote gun-ownership - hugely amusing for the parents at Sandy Hook, no doubt. He also promoted his special guests "Duck Dynasty" -- who kill beings for fun. None of the above issues are, of course, as important as Jimmy Kimmel himself, who has finally revealed his show to have an overwhelming loss of meaning. Tune in and relive the intellectual fog of the 1950s."

The always quick Kimmel responded by tweeting, "Note to Morrissey - if you have more dumb statements to make, I invite you to make them where I do, on my show."

This entire feud involving Morrissey, Jimmy Kimmel, and Robertson's clearly helped the show garner huge ratings Wednesday night making "Duck Dynasty" the number one nonfiction show on cable this year. The 10pm episode was up 132 percent compared to last season's series premiere.

It remains to be seen if the show can keep up their record ratings. Likely there will be a drop off, but at the very least "Duck Dynasty" got a huge bump in the ratings thanks to Morrissey and Jimmy Kimmel.

Did you check out the "Duck Dynasty" season three premire Wednesday night?