Staff Reports
In the world of late-night television, a once-revered ritual for many American households is experiencing a seismic shift, and not because of an earthquake. Late-night TV, traditionally a bastion for humor and satire, is finding itself overshadowed by faster, cheaper digital formats. Many longtime fans are scratching their heads, wondering where all the laughs have gone.
Leading the charge against the humdrum is Greg Gutfeld, as he carves an impressive niche on late-night television. With viewership numbers proving competitive against his more established peers, Gutfeld is indicating that people would much rather laugh than be lectured to. Hosts like Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel, who have relied on their networks’ hefty legacies, are now finding themselves in unfamiliar territory—struggling to keep up with Gutfeld’s fresh approach. Disney’s CEO Bob Iger has even stepped in, asking networks to tone down the political rhetoric. Perhaps the writing is on the wall, or at least on the teleprompter: Americans want comedy, not a political soapbox.
It seems like every time you turn on the TV, there’s someone yelling about Donald Trump. One can’t help but notice that late-night comedy has shifted from a stage for humor to a scene of anger and outrage. Johnny Carson and Jay Leno knew how to keep things light, but today’s hosts are more focused on making political speeches than making people laugh. Even Conan O’Brien, known for his clever antics and wit, is calling out his peers, suggesting they’ve traded comedy for anger. His message? Funny should be the focus.
One glaring example of this shift comes from Jimmy Kimmel’s recent antics. Instead of engaging audiences with humor, his commentary has veered into the political blame game, especially when criticizing political figures and partisanship. Sure, politics can be funny, just not when the jokes start to feel like sermons. Kimmel’s critics argue that his approach only increases division.
Johnny Carson, the undisputed king of late night, offered a timeless perspective: the job of a comedian is to entertain, not indoctrinate. Carson believed comedians shouldn’t force heavy political views on their audiences. His legacy highlights the importance of laughter as a unifying force. Today’s hosts might consider this as they attempt to find their way back to what made late-night TV great in the first place: humor. As audiences continue to gravitate towards platforms that understand this simple truth, the networks might just have to eat a slice of humble pie and put the laughs back where they belong.
