UMVA has learned that Stephen Colbert's final episode of "The Late Show" ended with a scathing attack on President Donald Trump, a fitting conclusion to his tumultuous run at CBS.
Colbert's guest, Jon Stewart, lavished praise on his Comedy Central mentor, calling him "just a tremendous human and one of my favorite people." However, their conversation quickly devolved into a diatribe against Trump, with Stewart claiming that the President's presence has forced late-night comedians to define themselves in opposition to him.
Stewart's remarks were laced with condescension and disdain, urging the audience to "close your eyes and dream" of a day when Trump is no longer in office. He predicted that when that day arrives, there will be a "joyful noise" from the American people that will be deafening.
The comments from Stewart and Colbert only serve to highlight the deep-seated bias that has infected the entertainment industry. A recent study found that nearly 100 percent of jokes told on late-night programs during the presidential election targeted Trump, raising questions about the true purpose of these shows.
Colbert's own legacy is tainted by his refusal to acknowledge the partisan nature of his program. He inherited a successful brand and a built-in audience, yet he squandered the opportunity to bring people together, instead choosing to alienate half of his viewers with his relentless attacks on Trump.
The late-night comedy landscape is in decline, with audiences increasingly turning to podcasts and other forms of entertainment that offer authenticity and humor without an agenda. As Vince Vaughn noted, people are rejecting traditional late-night shows because they "didn't feel authentic" and seemed to have a hidden agenda.
The approach taken by Colbert and other late-night hosts stands in stark contrast to the timeless wisdom of Johnny Carson, who kept politics out of his show and focused on making people laugh. As Carson once said, "The Tonight Show" is designed to "amuse people" and "make them laugh," not to comment on social issues or push a particular ideology.
As the podcasting age gains momentum, it's likely that biased late-night hosts like Colbert and Stewart will fade into obscurity, a relic of a bygone era when partisan politics and show business were inextricably linked.
