Jay Leno Slams Modern Late-Night TV Amid Stephen Colbert's Cancellation

Former "The Tonight Show" host Jay Leno is weighing in on the current state of late-night television, and he’s not holding back.

Jay Leno's remarks come at a particularly tense moment in the late-night world, one marked by controversy, cancellation, and corporate clashes.

In a newly released interview with Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation president David Trulio, the former "Tonight Show" host criticized the increasingly political tone of modern comedy, saying today’s late-night hosts are isolating half their potential audience by leaning too heavily into partisan commentary.

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

“Why shoot for just half an audience, why not try to get the whole (audience)?” he asked. “I mean, I like to bring people into the big picture. I don’t understand why you would alienate one particular group. 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."

“Funny is funny,” he continued. “I like to think that people come to a comedy show to get away from the pressures of life. I don’t think anybody wants to hear a lecture.”

Reflecting on his own 22-year tenure at NBC, Leno explained that his approach to comedy was always rooted in balance.

“I got hate letters saying, ‘You and your Republican friends,’ and another saying, ‘I hope you and your Democratic buddies are happy,’ over the same joke,” he told Trulio. “That’s how you get a whole audience.”

Leno recalled his longtime friendship with legendary comic Rodney Dangerfield, pointing out that despite knowing him for four decades, he never once knew his political affiliation. “We never discussed politics, we just discussed jokes,” he said.

The late-night legend went on to argue that modern comedians are too focused on taking sides. “Now you have to be content with half the audience, because you have to give your opinion,” he said.

Jay Leno then emphasized that while political humor has its place, comedy should unite rather than divide. "It’s funny when someone who’s not [on your side] laughs at the joke, that’s kind of what I do.”

His remarks come at a time when late-night TV is undergoing a major shift, with declining ratings, changing viewer habits, and increased scrutiny over political bias.

Just days before Leno’s interview surfaced, "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" made headlines for a very different reason.

A media firestorm erupted after Stephen Colbert took a pointed swipe at CBS’s parent company, Paramount Global, during an on-air monologue. The comedian blasted the network for its $16 million defamation lawsuit settlement with President Donald Trump, sarcastically dubbing it a “big, fat bribe.”

The fiery moment ignited speculation, and just days later, Colbert revealed that "The Late Show" would be ending in May 2026.

The announcement has sent shockwaves through the entertainment industry, with fans and fellow hosts questioning whether the abrupt end is connected to Colbert’s vocal criticism. While CBS has cited financial reasons, many aren’t buying it.

Late-night peers have rallied behind Colbert, including Jimmy Fallon, who didn’t mince words. “I don’t like it. I don’t like what’s going on one bit,” Fallon said, calling the move “crazy” and joking that “CBS could lose millions of viewers, plus tens of hundreds watching on Paramount+.”

Jay Leno helmed NBC’s "The Tonight Show" from 1992 until 2009, when Conan O’Brien briefly stepped in. The show has been hosted by Jimmy Fallon since 2014.

As the late-night landscape continues to evolve, Leno’s call for balance and universal humor serves as a pointed reminder that sometimes the smartest punchline is the one that brings everyone together.