Late-night television, once a powerhouse of cultural commentary, is feeling the repercussions of Trump’s revival in an era where political divisions are sharper than ever.
Reconciling Late-Night Comedy: Trump’s Political Comeback Disrupts Cultural Dominance
Reconciling Late-Night Comedy: Trump’s Political Comeback Disrupts Cultural Dominance
The rise of President-elect Donald Trump disrupts the once-reigning late-night shows, leading to a crisis in viewership and relevance.
In the light of Donald Trump's recent political comeback, the Democratic Party and Hollywood's elite find themselves under scrutiny. Late-night television, notably shows hosted by Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon, is facing a significant decline in audience engagement and ratings. As political humor has become increasingly centered around mocking Trump, ratings have taken a hit; a study by the Media Research Center revealed that between September 3 and October 25 during the 2024 election season, late-night hosts cracked around 1,463 jokes. Of these, a staggering 98 percent were directed at Trump, overshadowing jokes aimed at vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris, with JD Vance becoming a frequent target.
This obsessive focus on Trump appears to have backfired, dissuading many viewers from tuning in. Critics attribute the shift to what some call “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” where anti-Trump content fails to resonate with a broader audience. As engagement dwindles, popular late-night shows find their ratings plummeting, grappling with lost cultural relevance in a transformed political landscape.
The Democratic Party's post-election struggles mirror those of the entertainment realm. With leadership issues and no clear successor to rally around, parallels between political and Hollywood disarray highlight the current state of affairs. Celebrities like Alec Baldwin and Cher vowed to leave the country if Trump were to win, yet these promises remain unfulfilled, reflecting the irony of empty political threats.
The decline of late-night comedy highlights the need for adaptation in the media and entertainment sectors. As Trump continues to shape political discourse, late-night shows may need to recalibrate their humor and approach to remain relevant in an increasingly polarized society.
This obsessive focus on Trump appears to have backfired, dissuading many viewers from tuning in. Critics attribute the shift to what some call “Trump Derangement Syndrome,” where anti-Trump content fails to resonate with a broader audience. As engagement dwindles, popular late-night shows find their ratings plummeting, grappling with lost cultural relevance in a transformed political landscape.
The Democratic Party's post-election struggles mirror those of the entertainment realm. With leadership issues and no clear successor to rally around, parallels between political and Hollywood disarray highlight the current state of affairs. Celebrities like Alec Baldwin and Cher vowed to leave the country if Trump were to win, yet these promises remain unfulfilled, reflecting the irony of empty political threats.
The decline of late-night comedy highlights the need for adaptation in the media and entertainment sectors. As Trump continues to shape political discourse, late-night shows may need to recalibrate their humor and approach to remain relevant in an increasingly polarized society.
