The Most Popular Late-Night TV Host – How Conservative Comic Greg Gutfeld Overtook Stephen Colbert In Ratings
In August 2021, Fox News’ “Gutfeld!,” a late-night comedy-talk show hosted by right-wing pundit Greg Gutfeld, overtook “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” in overall ratings.
Surprised?
We weren’t.
As media and comedy scholars, we’ve been tracking the recent ascension of right-wing comedy, which has flourished thanks to shifts in media industry economics and political ideologies.
Gutfeld’s success might come as a shock because it punctures long-standing assumptions about what comedy is, who can produce it and who will enjoy it. These prejudices obscure an important truth: Right-wing comedy has become both a viable business strategy and a crucial element of conservative politics.
Yes, “Gutfeld!” is on Fox News, the cable channel known for partisan, right-wing political perspectives an...