Jay Leno took aim at late-night hosts whose political humor appeals to only “half their audience” by making jokes targeting only one side of the ideological spectrum.
The 75-year-old former Tonight Show host made the comments during a recent interview with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. While the interview was taped at least two weeks ago — likely before CBS made its shock announcement that it was canceling The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on July 17 — the portion of the interview containing the late-night criticism was posted on YouTube last week and has been making the rounds this weekend due to recent headlines.
David Trulio, the president and CEO of the foundation, kicked things off by noting to Leno that his jokes were equally balanced between mocking Democrats and Republicans.
“I got hate letters saying, ‘You and your Republican friends,’ and another saying, ‘I hope you and your Democratic buddies are happy’ — over the same joke,” Leno says. “That’s how you get a whole audience. Now you have to be content with half the audience, because you have to give your opinion.”
Continued Leno: “Rodney Dangerfield and I were friends. I knew Rodney 40 years and I have no idea if he was a Democrat or Republican. We never discussed politics, we just discussed jokes. I like to think that people come to a comedy show to get away from the pressures of life. I love political humor — don’t get me wrong. But people wind up cozying too much to one side or the other.”
Leno concluded by saying: “I don’t think anybody wants to hear a lecture … Why shoot for just half an audience? Why not try to get the whole? 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. I’m not saying you have to throw your support [on one side]. But just do what’s funny.”
Leno hosted The Tonight Show for 17 years across two separate stints, starting in 1999 and concluding in 2014. During that time, the NBC series was often the top-rated late-night show.
CBS abruptly announced The Late Show would conclude in May 2026, and called the move a “financial decision.” But it came days after Colbert criticized the network for paying “a big fat bribe” to President Donald Trump in the form of a $16 million settlement over a 60 Minutes interview. Newsbusters, a right-wing media watchdog, claimed The Late Show has hosted 176 outwardly left-leaning guests since 2022 and only one Republican, and booked 43 left-leaning guests since the start of 2025.
Other late-night hosts — including current Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon — have rallied behind Colbert since the decision, with fellow talents working under parent company Paramount Global having been especially scathing. “What made you that money are shows that say something, shows that take a stand, shows that are unafraid…” Stewart said. “If you believe — as corporations or as networks — that you can make yourselves so innocuous that you can serve a gruel so flavorless that you will never again be on the boy king’s radar … Why would anyone watch you?”