Amber Day discusses the impact of late-night comedy shows on U.S. national politics. Clearly, some late night comedy shows are more politically pointed than others. Day suggests that it is useful when the comedy host can invoke some kind of separateness from the establishment (e.g., Jon Stewart’s references to Jewishness). It is also worth noting that some programs have ties to media corporations that constrain their political content. In September, Samantha Bee, host of Full Frontal on TBS, criticized Jimmy Fallon and NBC’s The Tonight Show for going easy on Donald Trump. Here is a New York Times article about Bee’s criticism of Fallon.
Here is Bee’s discussion of Trump, and of Fallon’s interview with Trump, from September 19:
How effective do you find Samantha Bee’s performance? Do you find her brand of political humor more or less congenial than that of Jimmy Fallon? How does the controversy make you think about the role of corporate sponsorship in determining shows’ political content?
Samantha Bee’s performance was effective in providing a political view and commentary that appears to be genuine, unbiased and real. This portrayal is much more unabashed, uncongenial and directed than that of Jimmy Fallon and similar network shows. However, I think the purpose of Bee’s show and the liberty her network provides allow Bee to be in such a position. Full Frontal is a show with the sole purpose of providing social and political commentary through humor. Jimmy Fallon and other shows similar to his serve the sole purpose of late night entertainment through comedy, music and relevant content. Such shows will never deliver any serious or controversial content but will always stick to the light hearted, funny puns and one liners. Their purpose is not to give a critique of political figures and events. The reason shows like that of Jimmy Fallon do not provide such content is because that is not within the parameters of their show’s aim to be lighthearted and funny.
Furthermore, major network tv shows can not provide the unabashed content that shows like Full Frontal are able to provide. Major networks tend to stick to congenial and non-controversial in order to appease major audiences. TBS and shows like Full Frontal have more nuanced and niche audiences who come to their shows for such poignant content and commentary. Corporate sponsorship also plays a role in the content networks and tv shows are willing to display. Sponsors want to either align themselves with agreeable content or appeal to mass audiences. Congenial content allows sponsors not to be forced to take sides or positions on nuanced content while also appealing to the mass audience by not taking sides on controversial issues. Tv shows such as Jimmy Fallon remain successful by not taking sides and constantly trying to keep all demographics happy. Shows like that of Samantha Bee gain their popularity and remain popular for their efforts to provide that social and political commentary that some audiences want but can not find on other major network shows. Samantha Bee strives where Jimmy Fallon fails. Shows like Full Frontal gain their audiences from shows like that of Jimmy Fallon who want more than surface level comedy.