Late Night’s Familiar With Master Debaters

As someone who has been following the political comedy scene for more than a decade, I must admit that it’s fascinating to see how these late-night hosts have evolved in their approach towards Trump and politics over the years.

Evening talk show hosts are still grappling with their roles. The same five comedians who handled the Trump vs Biden debate in 2020 were back at their desks on September 10, this time moderating a presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump. It’s worth noting that even Jon Stewart, who took a break in 2016 while Trevor Noah hosted “The Daily Show,” has a background in political satire. As for the humor derived from real-life phrases like “Now she wants to perform gender reassignment surgeries on undocumented immigrants in prison,” it’s hard to top the original. However, given that these shows, including “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live!,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” and Stewart’s own productions, have been commenting on Trump for a decade, they should be well-versed in mimicking his voice at least.

The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=g68EFBToxCc

Jimmy Fallon heavily relied on his Trump imitation during the debate analysis. Since his monologue was pre-recorded, he could only deliver jokes using previously known material instead of referencing the actual debate events like Colbert, Kimmel, and Stewart did. After bringing up Trump’s decreasing lead in Florida, Fallon mimicked the ex-president saying, “Florida, I thought you were a match for my craziness.” Then he shifted away from the debate and performed a skit featuring a mockery of the band LMFAO from 2011. He was portrayed as being very much into Obamacare.

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=ecGjnR3aNvA

Instead of Fallon, Stephen Colbert delivered his monologue live, enabling him to comment on real-time events like the debate, and he took advantage of this flexibility to aim sharp criticisms at Trump. He quipped that Harris had irritated Trump as much as someone stuffing butter and rosemary under his skin. In essence, Colbert maintained his usual style in addressing politics, playing the role of an insightful yet amiable father figure similar to NPR’s persona.

Late Night With Seth Meyers

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=1b0IfsiEKJg

Seth Meyers, Fallon’s counterpart on NBC, adopted his signature “Weekend Update” style by keeping it concise, lasting under four minutes. He joked, “Kamala Harris is said to have rehearsed debating an advisor portraying ex-president Donald Trump in a boxy suit, so thank you, David Byrne, for your service to our nation.” We’re looking forward to his potential return to covering the debate later this week, as we’d love to see the graphics team create a picture of the mentioned detained transgender undocumented immigrant.

Jimmy Kimmel Live!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=Y9bqtlWphXA

ABC News was in charge of the debate, putting immense pressure on Jimmy Kimmel, the lone late-night host for ABC. Fortunately, his show is well-known for being live. Kimmel mostly delivered his monologue with a casual, witty air, keeping one hand tucked away in his pocket throughout. “Dick Cheney isn’t backing Kamala Harris because they share similar views,” Kimmel quipped, during a discussion about the election not focusing on policies. “He’s supporting her because there’s a rhinoceros charging and she has the tranquilizer gun.

The Daily Show (Jon Stewart)

https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?v=KtHn59wqdBc

Despite the uncertain future of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart has been shining on Monday nights, drawing in a large audience on YouTube. He’s even managed to take some playful jabs at both political parties. In response to the candidates’ evasive answers to the first question, he cheered, “We’re back; America’s back!” He exclaimed. “You ask ’em a question, they’re gonna turn the tide and answer whatever they wanna answer.” This only makes his eventual support for Kamala Harris even more impactful as he whispered, “Holy shit, she crushed it.

2024-09-12 00:53