Late night television took an unusually serious turn as hosts across networks struggled to maintain their typical comedic tone while processing the US presidential election results.
Stephen Colbert, host of CBS’s “The Late Show,” abandoned his usual satirical approach for a more candid discussion with his audience. “If you watch this show regularly, I’m guessing you’re not doing great. Me neither,” Colbert said, addressing viewers directly in a somber monologue.
Colbert said, “Well, f***. It happened again. After a bizarre and vicious campaign fueled by a desperate need to not go to jail, Donald Trump has won the 2024 election.” He later joked about wearing his “fundamentally questioning my belief in humanity” sticker.
Jimmy Kimmel, broadcasting from Los Angeles, California, opened his ABC show with an uncharacteristically subdued segment. He began by telling his audience: “I spent a lot of time over the last 17 hours thinking about what I would say tonight, what there even is to say and… there’s nothing, good night everybody!”
Kimmel called it “the worst taco Tuesday of my entire life.”
The host, who once maintained a friendly relationship with the president-elect, presented what he called “A Terrible Night,” featuring a staged scene where he contemplated leaving the country before his sidekick Guillermo convinced him to stay.
The Tonight Show’s Jimmy Fallon, typically known for avoiding political commentary, offered lighter observations while still acknowledging the gravity of the moment. He quipped “America got back together with its crazy ex and elected Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States. No matter who you voted for, I think we can all agree it’s going to be a rough Thanksgiving,” Fallon remarked during his opening monologue.
NBC’s Seth Meyers devoted his signature “A Closer Look” segment to analyzing the election results, extending the segment to 16 minutes. Meyers focused on examining various political dynamics and voter patterns across different states, particularly noting the disconnect between state-level referendum results and presidential voting patterns.
Over at Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, temporary host Desi Lydic delivered an emotionally charged monologue, describing the election evening as “a waking nightmare” while critiquing media coverage of the election results. Lydic’s commentary centered on examining how various news outlets interpreted the outcome.
Taylor Tomlinson, CBS’s newest late-night addition, incorporated the election results into her show’s usual format, mixing political commentary with her trademark observational humor. “It is an honor to be on television while women are still allowed to be,” Tomlinson quipped. “Remember 2011, back when Joe Rogan wasn’t helping people decide elections. He was just helping people decide if they were gonna eat bugs for money. Remember that?”
The hosts shared a common thread in their broadcasts: attempting to process significant political news while maintaining their roles as entertainers. Many incorporated musical elements and guest appearances to balance the weight of their political commentary. Whoopi Goldberg joined Fallon for a duet of “Tomorrow” from the musical “Annie,” while other shows featured political analysts and comedic guests.
Vice President Kamala Harris delivered her concession speech in Washington, D.C., following a phone call between President Joe Biden and his successor. Harris expressed gratitude to supporters while acknowledging the outcome wasn’t what they had hoped for, emphasizing the importance of continuing civic engagement.
The election results showed significant shifts in traditional voting patterns across several midwestern states, including Michigan, Wisconsin, and Pennsylvania, marking substantial changes in regional political alignments compared to previous electoral cycles.