Current Events > Why don't late night hosts in the past ever talk about politics?

(+) Yeah! (+)

I mean if you see between Carson, Leno, Letterman, etc

You almost never hear them talk about politics ever.

And their ratings prove that you don't need to talk about politics to command high viewership

Clinton jokes were made throughout the 90s on late night television, especially after the Lewinsky scandal.

They did not have a fascist trying to overthrow the government. And why do you not want them to? Something about your beliefs?

They always brought up political scandals and gaffes in the 90s and 00s. Bill Clinton being horny and George Bush verbally slipping up were always made fun of. I think the biggest reason it's now front and center is because it's the last remotely similar thing we have to the monoculture. Media, culture and now even humor is so fragmented that the only thing that most people are assumed to have a shared awareness of is current political events.

Ivynn posted...

Clinton jokes were made throughout the 90s on late night television, especially after the Lewinsky scandal.

Yeah but many of them died down fast then its back to normal.

Compared to now? Its as if every day all of them talk politics, scandal or not

Leno did all the time. Its just they had better writers that could cover more things other than mainstream media.

If you're relying on late night TV shows to shape your beliefs, you're fucking up.

Certainly living up to the tag https://gamefaqs.gamespot.com/a/forum/f/f9b25b9b.jpg

Who wants more doom and gloom. This isnt generally in a late night hosts best interests

They did, a lot. The difference is the audience response. Clinton and Bush never had a cult that couldnt tolerate any criticism.

I will say, maybe it's rose-tinted glasses, but the Clinton/Bush jokes of yesteryear seemed more like good-natured ribbing compared to the Trump jokes that seem to come from a place of "I very much do not like this man." Which could be why it rubs people differently, but hey, things have changed, it's not the 90s/00s anymore, the landscape is very different now.

Ivynn posted...

I will say, maybe it's rose-tinted glasses, but the Clinton/Bush jokes of yesteryear seemed more like good-natured ribbing compared to the Trump jokes that seem to come from a place of "I very much do not like this man." Which could be why it rubs people differently, but hey, things have changed, it's not the 90s/00s anymore, the landscape is very different now.

Its hard to stay good nature when Trump has open contempt for anyone that doesnt kiss his ass. As the cruelty increased, you cant expect the response to remain neutral.

bfslick50 posted...

They did, a lot. The difference is the audience response. Clinton and Bush never had a cult that couldnt tolerate any criticism.

TC is part of that cult

bfslick50 posted...

Its hard to stay good nature when Trump has open contempt for anyone that doesnt kiss his ass. As the cruelty increased, you cant expect the response to remain neutral.

Yup. When you have an actively hostile president, expect hostile jokes in response.

Counterpoint: The reason I don't watch Jimmy Fallon is because he's so fucking toothless. His smiley, "I don't want to offend anyone" demeanor just leaves me cold.

Daremo posted...

Counterpoint: The reason I don't watch Jimmy Fallon is because he's so fucking toothless. His smiley, "I don't want to offend anyone" demeanor just leaves me cold.

The best late night hosts have a slight edge. Fallon is the biggest pussy in late night history.

Even during the leno or letterman era, they joked about both the republicans and Democrats equally

Mephistron posted...

Even during the leno or letterman era, they joked about both the republicans and Democrats equally

And shockingly, everyone not in the cult, knows the current parties do not deserve equal treatment. If Republicans don't want to treated with contempt, they could try not protecting the convicted felon, fascist, idiot with obvious Epstein connections. Could stop destroying the country. But you are going to cry, because you can't admit it is deserved.

Mephistron posted...

Even during the leno or letterman era, they joked about both the republicans and Democrats equally

And here is the actual motivation behind this topic.

Mephistron posted...

And their ratings prove that you don't need to talk about politics to command high viewership

It is impossible to fairly compare ratings from before like 2000 to now. Everything had higher ratings; there were far fewer entertainment options available.

Your guy sucks, get used to it

Why don't you close your account?

https://youtu.be/XGXRvDT2k8I

Mephistron posted...

Even during the leno or letterman era, they joked about both the republicans and Democrats equally

Hard to imagine how you could get so much wrong with 1 sentence. The presidents party always gets hit harder cause more power means they generate more news and the president has more name recognition than any other politician. Coverage was especially one-sided during a scandal like the Lewinsky scandal and with Trump ever week theres a new Lewinsky level scandal.

Mephistron posted...

Even during the leno or letterman era, they joked about both the republicans and Democrats equally

You're really upset that several hosts were rightfully and accurately dunking on your Orange Godking repeatedly, aren't ya?

Your guy sucks and is an objectively garbage human being.

No President in US History has been found guilty of as many crimes as Trump.

How does a comedian NOT make jokes about the absurdity of that?

George Carlin would be absolutely going off for 90 minutes straight on this, were he still alive.