Colbert a clear winner in comics’ political debate
“The Late Show” host has been a gadfly for the Trump administration. We assess winners and losers in late night.
For comedians, President Donald Trump is the gift that keeps on giving. Except when that gift is the booby prize. Trump’s unorthodox presidency has been a boon for the satire industry: Many late-night hosts are reaping more jokes and greater cultural authority by continuing the Shakespearean tradition of the jester speaking truth to power.
But the rewards haven’t been spread evenly. Liberal Stephen Colbert, lauded by fans for his skewering of the president, has added viewers, bucking a trend of declining audiences, to push “The Late Show” to No. 1 in late night (3.8 million viewers, up 19 percentover last year).
That’s come at the expense of apolitical “Tonight Show” competitor Jimmy Fallon (2.7 million, down 15 percent, but ahead by a narrowing margin among young adults), who’s still answering questions about a 2016 Trump hair-mussing incident.
Last week, the TV critic in chief, perhaps triggered by Fallon’s comments about the hair debacle, was on the warpath with many of them, calling Fallon “a lost soul,” Colbert “a lowlife” and Jimmy Kimmel “terrible” at a South Carolina rally. Trump criticized Samantha Bee of TBS’ “Full Frontal” recently, too.
Colbert, Fallon and TBS late-night host Conan O’Brien responded Tuesday with a comedic video that simultaneously opened CBS’ “Late Show” and NBC’s “Tonight Show.”
A look at how the comedians most affected by the Trump era — left-leaning or not traditionally political — have fared:
Outright winners
Stephen Colbert. After an acclaimed run on Comedy Central, Colbert initially foundered playing the big room at “The Late Show” on CBS. Trump helped him get his “Colbert Report” groove back, as his quick wit, sharp tongue and political knowledge became valuable weapons in a politicized and polarized era.
John Oliver. At a time when facts are so devalued that they’ve become ever more important, Oliver’s entertaining deep dives into complicated, dusty topics and various Trump critiques have made wonkery cool.
That is a big reason HBO’s “Last Week Tonight” won its second consecutive Emmy as best variety-talk series in September.
Image winner
Jimmy Kimmel: The host of ABC’s”Jimmy Kimmel Live” (2.25 million, up 1 percent) was seen as apolitical before his impassioned appealto maintain health coverage for people with preexisting conditions after his infant son needed heart surgery.
His emotional appeal, which received a supportive tweet from former President Barack Obama, resulted in more than 12 million YouTube views.
However, Kimmel also messed up making fun of Melania Trump’s accent.
Early (and able) adapter
Seth Meyers. With the rise of Trump, politics grew as a cultural talking point. That played to the strength of news-oriented, “Saturday Night Live” alum Meyers, who opens NBC’s “Late Night” at his desk with a “Weekend Update”-style presentation and his signature (and more serious) segment, “A Closer Look.” His ratings have remained stable despite the losses of lead-in “Tonight.”
Name recognition
Michelle Wolf. The stand-up comic wasn’t well known before she headlined the White House Correspondents Dinner last April, but she “shocked” sensitive types there when she did what she does: deliver scathing satire of the president and press secretary Sarah Sanders.
Beneficiary of Trump “largesse”
Bill Maher. HBO’s “Real Time” appeals to liberal viewers, at least as measured by the studio audience response, and Trump has provided a comedic bounty.
It’s familiar ground for Maher, who has been ridiculing Trump for years, causing a furor when he suggested in 2013 that the then-reality star descended from an orangutan.
Unlike many rivals, the spiky Maher, who can upset liberals as well as conservatives, also is protected from advertiser wrath on HBO.
Found footing, lost viewers
Trevor Noah. After an uncertain
start in 2015, Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” host has gained some political traction with the help of the nonstop controversy that is the Trump show. He also provides a different perspective as a South African-born comic and a black man in a predominantly white group. However, “The Daily Show” is down 12percent in viewers and 23 percent in young adults compared with a year ago.
Temporary loser, room to rebound
Samantha Bee. TBS’ “Full Frontal” host rose to household-name status after a May 30 monologue in which she called Ivanka Trump a vulgar name at the end of a righteously angry attack on government separation of immigrant parents and children.
Most of the response was critical, and an apologetic Bee acknowledged the controversy overshadowed her larger message. A number of advertisers beat a rapid retreat, but some had returned by last week. Her show returns July 18.
Biggest loser
Jimmy Fallon. “The Tonight Show” host has suffered most. The 2016 hair incident epitomized an eager-to-please style that valued games and stunts over substance, which served Fallon well before Trump’s political arrival but hasn’t resonated at a time when avoiding controversy doesn’t always pay dividends.
Maybe it’s not the worst thing for Fallon, who wove the president’s recent criticism into his monologue, to become Trump’s latest late-night punching bag. That status seems to have served some of his competitors well.