Jay Reno reflects on the political balance of comedy in Colbert’s cancellation
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Jay Reno During his hosting “The Tonight Show” for over 20 years, he looked back on why he always balances his jokes politically.
The 75-year-old comedian recently sat down for an interview with David Trurio, president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation.
“I’ve read that there was an analysis of your work on “The Tonight Show” for 22 years, and that the jokes were almost evenly balanced between chasing Republicans and then targeting Democrats. Did you have a strategy? ” asked Trulio.
“It was fun for me when I received the same joke as you and your Republican friend, ‘Well, Mr. Leno’s’ letter of hatred: ‘Well, Mr. Leno,'” Leno recalls.
Jay Reno, his wife Mavis, relies on faith to overcome the difficulties of life.
Jay Reno explained why he enjoyed himself on both the left and right when he joked about politics during his tenure on “The Tonight Show.” (nbcuniversal via Paul Drink Water/NBCU Photobank/Getty Images)
“And then I’m going, ‘Well, that’s a good thing,” he said.
Reno noted how late-night comedy has changed amid the current divisive political landscape.
“Now you have to be happy with half of your audience because you’re expressing your opinion,” Leno said.
When Trulio asked if Leno was giving advice to comedians today, the host of “Jay Leno’s Garage” mentioned his long-standing friendship with comedy legends Rodney Dangerfield.
“I’ve known Rodney for 40 years,” he said. “I don’t know if he’s a Democrat or a Republican. We’ve never discussed it. We discussed the joke.”
Leno said he never knew if his 40-year-old friend, Rodney Dangerfield, was a Republican or Democrat. (Vince Butch/Getty Images)
“And for me, I like to think people come to comedy shows and get away from some sort of thing, whatever it is, to get away from the pressures of life,” Reno continued. “And I love political humor. Don’t get me wrong, but that’s exactly what happens when people are feeling too comfortable on one side.”
While talking to Trulio, Leno discussed What a comedy Can be used to create a common foundation.
“It’s funny that’s funny,” Leno said. “When people who aren’t… you tease their side and they laugh at it, you know, that’s like what I’m doing.”
“I think I’ll just go outside. No one wants to listen to the lecture,” he continued. “When I was with Rodney, it was always in the economy of words. Just kidding as soon as possible.”
Reno pointed out that the host of today’s late-night show has lost “half of the audience” by falling into a divisive political atmosphere. (Donald Kravitz)
Trulio pointed out that both Reno and Dangerfield were extremely successful in their careers, focusing on two “approaches that worked in the market.”
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“Well, why do you shoot for half the audience? You know, why don’t you try to get the whole (the audience),” replied Reno.
“I mean, I like to bring people to the big picture,” he explained. “I don’t understand why you alienate a particular group or you know or don’t do it at all. I’m not saying you have to throw out your support or anything, you’re just doing something funny.”
Leno’s comments came in the wake of CBS’ announcement that he had cancelled the “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” on July 17th. (via Stacie McChesney/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCuniversal Getty Images)
Leno’s comment came into the rage after CBS announced on July 17 that it had cancelled “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and cancelled “The Late Show,” which is scheduled to air in May 2026.
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At the time, the network revealed that cancellation was “a purely financial decision against a challenging late-night background,” and said it was “never related to the show’s performance, content or any other issues happening at Paramount.”
A few weeks ahead of cancellation, CBS and Paramount paid presidents Donald Trump A $16 million settlement following his lawsuit against the news network as he aired an edited interview with former vice president Kamala Harris ahead of the 2024 election.
The network said the cancellation was a financial decision, but Colbert’s supporters argued it was politically motivated. (Scott Kowalchyk/CBS via Getty Images)
Colbert, who frequently blows up Trump on the show, criticised the settlement, describing it as “a big fat bribe” in an episode aired days before the cancellation was announced.
Supporters of the host, including several politicians, accused him of canceling “Late Show with Stephen Colbert” for political reasons, most importantly.
Trump celebrated the cancellation news with his Platform Truth Social post. It drew a fiery response from Colbert who told the president “go f — Yourself” in the opening monologue of Monday’s show.
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Several fellow late-night show hosts and comedians gather around Colbert. “The Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon and “Late Night” host Seth Meyers, last week’s host John Oliver and “The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart, host Jon Stewart, attended Colbert’s taping on a support show on Monday. Stewart and Oliver previously worked with Colbert at the “Daily Show.”
Friday, creator of “Late Show” David Letterman He condemned CBS’s decision to cancel the long-term show as “pure coronavirus,” claiming that the network abused Colbert, who took over as a host in 2015.
Gabriel Hays of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.