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American television host Jay Leno recently discussed his preference for politically neutral humour during a conversation with David Trulio for The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.
Leno believes that audiences come to comedy shows seeking an escape from life’s pressures and sees little point in alienating half the audience by aligning with one political side.
“I love political humour, don’t get me wrong,” Leno stated, “but what happens is people wind up cosying too much to one side or the other.”
He questioned, “Why shoot for just half an audience? Why not try to get the whole audience?” His enduring philosophy is “Funny is funny,” emphasising that comedy should entertain rather than lecture.
Leno’s interview seemingly took place before CBS announced the cancellation of “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” a programme that began with David Letterman in 1993 and has been hosted by Colbert since 2015.
The show is slated to end in spring 2026.
While CBS cited financial reasons for the cancellation, questions have arisen regarding the timing, given Colbert’s past criticisms of President Donald Trump, a recent settlement between the Trump administration and CBS parent company Paramount over a “60 Minutes” lawsuit, and Skydance Media’s $8 billion acquisition of Paramount.
Current late-night hosts, including Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, John Oliver, Jon Stewart, and Seth Meyers—all known for their critical stance on the Trump administration—voiced support for Colbert following the CBS announcement.
Leno himself hosted “The Tonight Show” on NBC from 1992 to 2009, preceding Conan O’Brien and current host Jimmy Fallon.
