It’s been quite a while since Jay Leno was on late-night TV — he left the “Tonight Show” back in 2014 — but he’s back on the scene with some strong words.
In a recent chat with David Trulio for The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, Leno voiced his opinions on the blending of politics and comedy in late-night shows.
“People come to a comedy show to escape from life’s daily stresses,” Leno reflected. “I enjoy political humor too, but the issue is that people often take sides and only appeal to half the audience.”
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He questioned, “Why target just a portion of the audience when you could engage everyone?”
Even though this conversation happened before Stephen Colbert’s CBS show was officially axed earlier this month, it definitely sparks discussions about the role of late-night shows during the Trump presidency.
Colbert, who has been quite critical of former President Donald Trump, confirmed that the cancellation was not just about his hosting role but affected the whole late-night program lineup. Colbert fits into a group of comedians like Jon Stewart and John Oliver, who heavily leaned on political satire to entertain their viewers.
Meanwhile, even hosts less focused on politics, like Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel, have opted for stronger takes on political issues. Since Leno quit before Trump’s election began in 2016, he missed expressing opinions during the Obama, Clinton, and both Bush administrations from 1992 to 2009, and then again from 2010 to 2014.
“My goal is to bring everyone into a broader perspective,” Leno mentioned during the interview. “I don’t see a reason to alienate any particular group.”
“I’m not suggesting you need to take a political side — just focus on what’s genuinely funny,” he remarked. “Nobody wants a lecture during a comedy show.”
The abrupt end of Colbert’s show shocked many in the late-night landscape, even leading some lawmakers to call for an inquiry into CBS’s decision-making. While Paramount claims the cancellation stemmed from financial woes, they praised Colbert as irreplaceable in a given statement to USA TODAY.
The company cited “tough circumstances in late-night” but firmly stated that the cancellation wasn’t due to Colbert’s performance, show content, or any other issues at Paramount.
Piers Morgan Criticizes Colbert’s Préférences
In a reaction from the other side, conservative commentator Piers Morgan took to his social platform to label Colbert’s left-leaning approach as “damning.” He tweeted, “America’s leading late-night hosts have largely transformed into politically charged activists supporting the Democrats — a party in serious decline, as evidenced by Colbert’s firing.”
Piers concluded, “It’s clear why Colbert lost his job.”
Before Colbert’s show was canceled, Paramount also wrapped up a defamation case with the president, which some viewed as a strategic move to clear the path for a merger with Skydance Media that eventually got the green light from the FCC.
This information first appeared on USA TODAY: Jay Leno critiques political late-night hosts in light of Colbert’s cancellation.
