Staff Reports
In a saga as American as apple pie—or at least as the late-night pie-throwing contests of old—the curtain is closing on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert. The network has decided to end the show next year, and let’s be real, it couldn’t come soon enough for many. The announcement might be a shocker to some, a long time coming for others, but here we are saying goodbye to a program that danced a little too closely with political activism rather than with comedy.
Stephen Colbert, who took over from the legendary David Letterman, managed to morph one of America’s beloved staples of late-night television into a mix that often showcased political discussion. It’s been a strange evolution from the days when late-night shows were a refuge of laughter, poking equal fun at all, politicians included. Somewhere along the way, the charm turned into lectures and politically charged monologues that could make even avid night owls hit the sack early.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Kimmel’s position seems adrift in a sea of political commentary disguised as jokes. Yet, one has to appreciate the irony of late-night’s self-labeled champions of the people unable to keep their spots in a competitive media market, where viewers prefer laughs untinged by lecture.
The menagerie of modern late-night comedy—Colbert, Kimmel, and Fallon—has been circling the ratings drain for years now. Colbert led the trio at CBS with an average of two million viewers, but let’s face it, numbers just aren’t what they used to be. In contrast, there was a simpler time when late-night hosts like Johnny Carson and Jay Leno managed to make us laugh by lampooning every side of the aisle, sparing no one from their wit.
Even former president Donald Trump has taken a jab, pointing out that Colbert’s antics have worn thin. The irony is rich; the very political punchlines designed to win applause have become millstones sinking the once-great institutions of late-night television. It’s a clear signal that maybe, just maybe, America isn’t signing up for comedy masquerading as nightly news.
Alas, as the late-night slots on these big networks go dim, it serves both as a wake-up siren and a call to arms for the actual art of comedy. There’s still room for humor—a comedy that unites and amuses, pouring mirth over divisiveness. Hopefully, this is where late-night makes its glorious return, reminding Americans why staying up late for laughter is still worth it. So grab some popcorn, because this is one show we’d all like to see.
