While late-night TV is going through some major shake-ups—especially with Stephen Colbert’s sudden exit—Jay Leno has stepped up to share his take on how comedy has changed.
And honestly? He’s not impressed.
In a newly released interview with David Trulio, the president of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation, Leno didn’t hold back.
The conversation, which actually took place two weeks ago, is now making waves online after being made public.
Leno Says Comedy Used to Bring Everyone Together
Trulio kicked things off by pointing out how, during Leno’s Tonight Show days, his jokes hit both sides of the political aisle pretty evenly.
And Leno had a story to back that up.
“I got hate mail from both sides over the same joke,” he laughed.
“One person called me a Republican puppet, and the next told me I was a liberal sellout.”
His point? He wasn’t trying to push an agenda—just to make people laugh.
“That’s how you reach a full audience,” Leno explained. “Now? Most hosts seem fine only speaking to half the crowd.”
Remember When Politics Didn’t Take Over Every Joke?
Leno went on to share how comedy used to feel like a break from the stress of everyday life.
He even referenced his old friend Rodney Dangerfield, who he said never once brought up politics in their 40-year friendship.
“I never knew if he was a Democrat or Republican—we just talked jokes,” he said.
He made it clear he’s not against political humor entirely. “Funny is funny,” Leno emphasized.
“But when you only cozy up to one side, you’re leaving out the other half of the room.”
No One Wants a Lecture, Says Leno
Leno argued that today’s comedians sometimes get too caught up in preaching their views.
“I just don’t think people tune in to get scolded,” he said.
“Why settle for making only half the audience laugh? Why not go for the whole room?”
His advice? Skip the lectures and get to the punchline.
“Rodney used to say, keep it short—get to the joke.”
Leno’s Comments Come Right After Colbert’s CBS Exit
The timing of this interview is especially interesting because it came just after Stephen Colbert announced that The Late Show is ending in May 2026.
It followed a fiery moment on-air, when Colbert blasted CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, for settling a Trump-related defamation case for $16 million—calling it “a big, fat bribe.”
That on-air rant triggered waves of speculation.
Soon after, Colbert told his audience that the show would be ending. Cue the media storm.
Other Late-Night Hosts Are Speaking Out in Support
Colbert may be stepping down, but he’s not alone.
Big names in late-night TV, including Jimmy Fallon and David Letterman, are rallying behind him.
Fallon didn’t mince words: “I don’t like what’s going on.
These are crazy times,” he said, even joking that CBS could lose “tens of hundreds” of Paramount+ viewers if people boycott the network.
Letterman, who originally created The Late Show in 1993 after NBC passed him over for Johnny Carson’s job, also voiced his support—while throwing a little shade at CBS.
He called the decision to cancel Colbert’s show “gutless” and said that one day the network “will be embarrassed” by how they handled it.
Colbert’s Legacy in Late-Night Isn’t Being Forgotten
While the end of The Late Show era is still fresh, Colbert’s accomplishments haven’t gone unnoticed.
From his Emmy-winning days on The Colbert Report to the countless nominations he earned after taking over for Letterman, his impact on political comedy is undeniable.
But as the dust settles, Jay Leno’s comments serve as a broader reflection on where late-night comedy is heading—and whether it’s veering too far from its roots.