Former ‘Tonight Show’ host Jay Leno talks about how today’s politics are changing late-night TV
In an interview on the “Today” show, Ex-'Tonight Show' host Jay Leno says late-night politics have become ‘too political’ and comics today have a tough job working with it as the ‘only topic out there.’
The commander-in-chief has turned TV critic-in-chief once again.
President Trump fired off the latest salvo in his long-running late-night war on Thursday morning, attacking ‘the three very and untalented’ late-night hosts.
It is assumed the president was referring to Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert, who both mocked him on their shows Wednesday night, and Jimmy Fallon.
One day earlier, the president slammed the “very boring” shows by picking up on comments made by former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno, who bemoaned how political the genre has become.
“The one-sided hatred on these shows is incredible and for me, unwatchable. But remember, WE are number one - President!” Trump tweeted.
Earlier in the day, Leno told “Today” show co-host Al Roker if he misses his former gig, to which the 68-year-old emphatically replied, “no.”
“I don’t miss it. You know, everything now… everyone has to know your politics,” Leno said. “I tried to use Johnny’s model, and I would get hate mail from both sides equally and thought ‘well that’s fabulous, that’s exactly what I want’.”
EX-'TONIGHT SHOW' HOST JAY LENO SAYS LATE-NIGHT SHOWS TOO POLITICAL, MISSES 'CIVILITY'
“But when people see you as one-sided, it makes it tough. And, you know, I did it when Clinton was horny and Bush was dumb, and it was just a little easier."
He added: “Now it’s all very serious, I’d just like to see a bit of civility come back to it."
The president’s Thursday morning tweet came after Kimmel branded him a “snowflake” on Wednesday night.
Kimmel showed a clip from Leno’s appearance on the “Today” show, before adding: “He’s right. It’s harder now because Trump is dumb and horny at the same time.”
Late night host Jimmy Kimmel weighed in on the closely watched Texas Senate race on Monday night. (ABC)
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Kimmel then told the audience that he actually doesn’t want to talk about the president in his monologue.
"None of us do," Kimmel added. "None of us who hosts these shows do, but he gives us no choice. If he sat in the White House all day quietly working on things, I would almost never mention him because he’s not interesting. But not even today -- before 10 a.m. today, before ten o’clock this morning, his former campaign chairman was sentenced to prison for the second time in a week, he called himself the ‘most successful president in history,’ and he tweeted to let people know his wife hasn’t been replaced with a body double. I’m not supposed to mention that?
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The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and guest John Oliver during February 11's, 2019 show. Photo: Scott Kowalchyk/CBS
“How about this," Kimmel told the president. "You stop being terrible, we’ll stop pointing it out, OK?”
“Late Show” host Colbert also mocked Trump’s tweet about the late-night shows being “one-sided.”
“The comedy I do is not one-sided," Colbert replied. "I can make fun of the president. From… Every… Angle."
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