5 ms·

Why have late-night talk show ratings collapsed?

1 points by hhs 4y ago

incomingpain 4y ago
I loved stephen colbert, john stewart, bill maher, jay leno, etc. That's about when late-night started going under. Something which has to be acknowledged is these are all the jesters of the court. If they want to tell the truth, they better make people laugh. But they failed at this. Watching colbert attacks on trump most of which aren't funny. Most are just mean. It violates the fundamental rules of comedy and violates the role of their jestership. They left comedy and went to anger. It was extremely successful in shifting the political landscape, but doing this comes at a huge cost. As they are noticing now. Mind you, Trump's impoliteness has sprung this on himself.
gsatic 4y ago
There was just too much 5th graders making fun of 2nd graders style humor. When both sides are inept there is nothing funny about it.
sn0w_crash 4y ago
Something to do with alienating 50% of your audience, perhaps?
- jfengel 4y ago
  I wouldn't think so. Fox News alienates 50% of its potential audience, and it's doing great. Alienating some people is a great way to make other people love you more. Streaming seems a much more likely explanation. People can get whatever they want, whenever they want it. Why wait for midnight when you can make fun of current events right now on social media?
  - sn0w_crash 4y ago
    Except Fox News has always catered to a republican audience. Late night tv joke men were always funny to a wide audience, in fact that was their appeal. It wasn’t until 2016 that they went all-in on one political party. This is the result.
    - slater 4y ago
      > It wasn’t until 2016 that they went all-in on one political party. Demonstrably false. Comedians had a field day w/ Reagan, Bush I. + II., etc.
      - sn0w_crash 4y ago
        But not Obama, Hillary or Joe Biden. Demonstrably misleading reply is demonstrably misleading. Anyone who’s watched the rich white late night tv joke men for the past 5 years knows who they bow down to.
        slater 4y ago
        > But not Obama / rich white late night tv joke men Conan O'Brien hosted the 2013 White House correspondents' dinner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIgSgLFwEMs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIgSgLFwEMs

1 points by hhs 4y ago

I loved stephen colbert, john stewart, bill maher, jay leno, etc. That's about when late-night started going under. Something which has to be acknowledged is these are all the jesters of the court. If they want to tell the truth, they better make people laugh. But they failed at this. Watching colbert attacks on trump most of which aren't funny. Most are just mean. It violates the fundamental rules of comedy and violates the role of their jestership. They left comedy and went to anger. It was extremely successful in shifting the political landscape, but doing this comes at a huge cost. As they are noticing now. Mind you, Trump's impoliteness has sprung this on himself.

gsatic 4y ago

There was just too much 5th graders making fun of 2nd graders style humor. When both sides are inept there is nothing funny about it.

sn0w_crash 4y ago

Something to do with alienating 50% of your audience, perhaps?

jfengel 4y ago
I wouldn't think so. Fox News alienates 50% of its potential audience, and it's doing great. Alienating some people is a great way to make other people love you more. Streaming seems a much more likely explanation. People can get whatever they want, whenever they want it. Why wait for midnight when you can make fun of current events right now on social media?
- sn0w_crash 4y ago
  Except Fox News has always catered to a republican audience. Late night tv joke men were always funny to a wide audience, in fact that was their appeal. It wasn’t until 2016 that they went all-in on one political party. This is the result.
  - slater 4y ago
    > It wasn’t until 2016 that they went all-in on one political party. Demonstrably false. Comedians had a field day w/ Reagan, Bush I. + II., etc.
    - sn0w_crash 4y ago
      But not Obama, Hillary or Joe Biden. Demonstrably misleading reply is demonstrably misleading. Anyone who’s watched the rich white late night tv joke men for the past 5 years knows who they bow down to.
      - slater 4y ago
        > But not Obama / rich white late night tv joke men Conan O'Brien hosted the 2013 White House correspondents' dinner https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIgSgLFwEMs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VIgSgLFwEMs