Legend Jay Leno weighs in on whining late night hosts, hits them for alienating half their audience

Comedian and former television host Jay Leno is not a fan of the current lineup of partisan late-night shows that he believes are alienating half of their audience.

Leno, who took over the hosting gig of “The Tonight Show” after Johnny Carson’s retirement, spoke about the politicization of late-night shows in a recent interview with David Trulio, who noted how Leno had taken political jabs equally during his more-than-two-decade run at “The Tonight Show.”

“I read that there was an analysis done of your work on ‘The Tonight Show’ for the 22 years and that your jokes were roughly equally balanced between going after Republicans and taking aim at Democrats. Did you have a strategy?” asked Trulio, the president and CEO of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute.

(Video Credit: Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute)

“It was fun to me when I got hate letters, ‘Dear Mr. Leno, you and your Republican friends’ and, ‘Well, Mr. Leno, I hope you and your Democratic buddies are happy’ — over the same joke,” the 75-year-old comedian laughed in the interview filmed at Jay Leno’s Garage in Burbank, California.

“And I go, ’Well, that’s good,’” he said. “That’s how you get a whole audience.”

The current political divide, however, has changed the late-night comedy atmosphere.

“Now you have to be content with half the audience because you have [to] give your opinion,” Leno said.

He pointed to his longtime friendship with the late comedy legend Rodney Dangerfield when asked what advice he would give to today’s comedians.

“I knew Rodney 40 years,” he explained. “I have no idea if he was Democrat or Republican. We never discussed [it], we just discussed jokes.”

“And to me, I like to think that people come to a comedy show to kind of get away from the things, you know, the pressures of life, whatever it might be,” Leno added. “And I love political humor, don’t get me wrong, but it’s just what happens when people wind up cozying too much to one side or the other.”

He explained how comedy should bridge the gap and create common ground while entertaining audiences.

“Funny is funny,” Leno expressed. “It’s funny when someone who’s not​ … when you make fun of their side, and they laugh at it, you know, that’s kind of what I do.”

“I just find getting out — I don’t think anybody wants to hear a lecture,” he said. “When I was with Rodney, it was always in the economy of words — get to the joke as quickly as possible.”

Trulio noted how the “approach worked in the marketplace.”

“Well, why shoot for just half an audience all the time? You know, why not try to get the whole?” Leno responded.

“I mean, I like to bring people into the big picture,” he added. “I don’t understand why you would alienate one particular group, you know, or just don’t do it at all. I’m not saying you have to throw your support or whatever, but just do what’s funny.”

Senior Staff Writer
[email protected]

Originally from New York, Powers graduated from New York University and eventually made her way to sunny South Florida where she has been writing for the BizPacReview team since 2015.

Latest posts by Frieda Powers (see all)

We have no tolerance for comments containing violence, racism, profanity, vulgarity, doxing, or discourteous behavior. Thank you for partnering with us to maintain fruitful conversation.