Late Night Gets to Brag About Election Day

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Election Day saw a strong showing for Democrats across the country. Late night talk shows – including The Late Show, Late Night, The Daily Show, and The Tonight Show – celebrated victories for Zohran Mamdani, who won the New York City mayoral race against a candidate endorsed by Donald Trump, as well as the wins of Virginia governor-elect Abigail Spanberger and New Jersey governor-elect Mikie Sherrill. Following President Trump’s criticism of late night programming, hosts like Jordan Klepper, Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon used the opportunity to criticize Trump, highlight Mamdani’s policies, and express a sense of optimism.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=fno04Z2k6Ok

Wow, I was really moved by what Stephen Colbert said tonight! He started his monologue saying he was feeling something he hadn’t felt in ages: actual good feelings. He was so happy for Mamdani, jokingly saying the new mayor gets unlimited flights on Turkish Air and… the right to kill a groundhog, as is tradition in New York! He also gave shout-outs to Sherrill and Spanberger, but you could still tell he’s a proud New Yorker – he couldn’t resist a little jab at New Jersey, pretending their state motto is just asking for gas! It was funny, and honestly, it was just great to hear some positivity.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=g18MTRquc_A

Jimmy Kimmel celebrated the election results, especially because the Democrats performed surprisingly well, exceeding even the notoriously unsuccessful New York Jets. He was delighted to finally have the opportunity to call Donald Trump a “loser” – a word Trump often used himself. Kimmel jokingly stated that everything associated with Trump had failed, and quipped that Trump hadn’t been this humiliated since learning about his son, Donald Trump Jr.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Z1fdvhlljfc

Jimmy Fallon joked that Donald Trump received a major setback with his plan to build on the site of the White House’s East Wing. He then used classic generational humor, imagining what New York City’s incoming young mayor would prioritize. ‘His first acts will be ensuring affordable housing for all renters and avocado toast on every restaurant menu,’ Fallon quipped.

Late Night With Seth Meyers

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=sZcJNlxnHBI

On Wednesday’s “A Closer Look” segment, Meyers celebrated recent progressive wins, including the election of Rana Abdelhamid (Mamdani), California’s Prop 50, and a surprising outcome from the Georgia State Utility Commission. He humorously compared Donald Trump’s press conference after the election to the consistently underperforming New York Jets. Meyers even shared the personal loss of his dog, Frisbee, to explain why he found the audience’s reaction to his joke about Kristi Noem and dogs surprising. He concluded by noting that free speech remains protected in Rana Abdelhamid’s district in New York.

The Daily Show

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=lMYgU4-FwFg

Now that Jon Stewart was hosting on Mondays, Jordan Klepper took the Wednesday night slot. He jokingly said that Democrats weren’t just surviving, they were ‘energized,’ comparing them to someone overly enthusiastic at a cryptocurrency event – a comment you wouldn’t hear on traditional TV! Klepper also poked fun at people threatening to leave New York if a certain candidate, Mamdani, won. He sarcastically wondered if that would suddenly free up a significant number of apartments, joking it would be the quickest a mayor had ever kept a campaign promise.

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2025-11-06 19:54