Does Political Comedy Drive Away Audiences? Jay Leno Says…

Published: July 31, 2025

By Mallory Mattingly

Former TONIGHT SHOW host Jay Leno thinks the over politicization of comedy comes with some major risks for comedians.

“I like to think that people come to a comedy show to kind of get away from the things, the pressures of life, wherever it might be,” Leno told The Ronald Regan Presidential Foundation’s David Trulio. “And I love political humor, don’t get me wrong, but what happens [is] people wind up cozying too much to one side or the other.”

“Why shoot for just half an audience? Why not try to get the whole [audience]?” Leno asked.

“I mean, I like to bring people into the big picture. I don’t understand why you would alienate one particular group. Or just don’t do it at all,” he continued. “I’m not saying you have to throw your support or whatever, but just do what’s funny.”

“Funny is funny,” he added “I don’t think anybody wants to hear a lecture.”

During their conversation, Turlio said that an analysis of Leno’s work found he “roughly equally balanced between going after Republicans and taking aim at Democrats.”

“It was fun to me when I got hate letters [like] ‘Dear Mr. Leno, you and your Republican friends’ and ‘Well, Mr. Leno, I hope you and your Democratic buddies are happy’ — over the same joke,” Leno recalled.

‘And I go, ’Well, that’s good,'” he said. “That’s how you get a whole audience.”

Leno’s conversation with Trulio comes shortly after CBS cancelled THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT.

“This is purely a financial decision against a challenging backdrop in late night. It is not related in any way to the show’s performance, content or other matters happening at Paramount,” CBS said.

CBS also said it has no intention of replacing Colbert.

“We consider Stephen Colbert irreplaceable and will retire THE LATE SHOW franchise at that time. We are proud that Stephen called CBS home. He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late night television,” the company said.

“It’s not just the end of our show, but it’s the end of THE LATE SHOW on CBS,” Colbert shared. “I’m not being replaced. This is all just going away. And I do want to say…that the folks at CBS have been great partners. I’m so grateful to the Tiffany Network for giving me this chair and this beautiful theater to call home. And of course I’m grateful to you, the audience, who have joined us every night.”

However, some think that the network’s cancelation was “politically motivated.”

“Some have speculated that the firing of Colbert – a comedian who made his name lampooning conservatives – was a politically motivated move, especially since President Trump won a huge election interference lawsuit against CBS’ parent company Paramount just days later,” the NY Post reported.

Other late night show hosts like Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart and John Oliver have all shown their support for Colbert.

However, they would likely do well to heed Leno’s advice and steer clear of hyper political content if they want people to watch their shows.

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