Jay Leno, who beforehand helmed The Tonight Present, criticized late-night hosts whose political jokes solely enchantment to “half their viewers.”
Throughout a recent interview Ronald Reagan Presidential Basis, Leno mentioned it’s vital to make use of humor that will get the “entire viewers.” He added that hosts danger dropping viewers if they’re seen “cozying as much as one aspect or the opposite.”
“To me, I prefer to assume that folks come to a comedy present to type of get away from issues, you understand, the pressures of life, no matter it is likely to be,” Leno mentioned. “Now you need to be content material with half the viewers as a result of you need to give your opinion.”
Leno recalled his friendship with Rodney Dangerfield as an instance of not letting politics get in the way in which. “I knew Rodney 40 years and I do not know if he was a Democrat or Republican,” Leno famous. “We by no means mentioned politics, we simply mentioned jokes. I prefer to assume that folks come to a comedy present to get away from the pressures of life.”
The previous host concluded by saying, “I don’t assume anyone desires to listen to a lecture.” He added. “I like political humor, don’t get me incorrect. However it’s simply what occurs when individuals wind up cozying an excessive amount of to at least one aspect or the opposite. Why shoot for simply half an viewers on a regular basis? , why not attempt to get the entire. I imply, I prefer to deliver individuals into the large image. I don’t perceive why you’ll alienate one explicit group — or simply don’t do it in any respect. I’m not saying you need to throw your assist [on one side]. However simply do what’s humorous.”
Leno hosted The Tonight Present on NBC from 1992 to 2009 and once more from 2010 to 2014. Jimmy Fallon took over as host in 2014. Leno’s interview was taped a number of weeks in the past, however the feedback come after the shock cancellation of The Late Present With Stephen Colbert. Its community, CBS, cited monetary causes, however it’s presumed that the transfer was political. Colbert’s fellow late-night hosts, together with Jon Stewart, Seth Meyers, John Oliver, and Jimmy Kimmel, have all voiced their assist for him.
David Letterman, who hosted The Late Present from its inception in August 1993, referred to as the cancellation “gutless.” “That is pure cowardice,” Letterman informed former Late Present producers Barbara Gaines and co-host Mary Barclay within the video. “You’re telling me 60 Minutes, the top of journalistic excellence and integrity for a long time … they determined, ‘Aw, we’re sorry, allow us to provide you with $20 million.’ I consider that is within the wake of that.”
