Trump takes credit for late night host’s success after claiming he ‘destroyed’ Kimmel and Colbert

‘When Jimmy Fallon apologized for having humanized ‘Trump,’ and his ratings soared, the Radical Left forced him to apologize,’ former president says

Donald Trump claimed that he’s behind the decreasing ratings of late-night programmes hosted by the likes of Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, and Trevor Noah, and congratulated Greg Gutfeld, Fox News’ late-night host, for his recent viewing figures.

“It was my great honor to have destroyed the ratings of Late Night ‘Comedy’ shows. There is nothing funny about the shows, the three hosts have very little talent,” Mr Trump wrote of the hosts of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, The Late Show, and The Daily Show.

Mr Trump didn’t name the hosts or shows, but his post on his social media platform Truth Social was connected to a Fox News story featuring the three hosts.

The former president’s mockery came shortly after Mr Noah announced his departure from Comedy Central to spend more time doing stand-up.

“If there were two things Americans could have never predicted 10 years ago, it’d be the political rise of Donald Trump and the cultural demise of late-night comedy,” Joseph Wulfsohn wrote for Fox News. “The concept of a late-night comedian remaining apolitical or jabbing both sides of the aisle is from a bygone era as now it is routine for hosts to use their opening monologue to relentlessly bash Trump and Republicans at large.”

“With Trump out of office, Colbert’s liberal audience has shrunk to a 2.1 million viewer average in 2022, shedding 27% of his peak audience and losing his title as King of Late Night in recent months to Fox News host Greg Gutfeld, whose show ‘Gutfeld!’ has edged out the CBS rival with 2.2-2.4 million viewers as of late,” Mr Wulfsohn added.

During his first presidential campaign in 2016, Mr Trump went on The Tonight Show on NBC, hosted by Jimmy Fallon.

The host would later apologise for the easygoing interview with someone many considered a dangerous candidate.

“I’m sorry. I don’t want to make anyone angry – I never do and I never will. It’s all in the fun of the show. I made a mistake. I’m sorry if I made anyone mad. And, looking back, I would do it differently,” he said in 2018, according to the Hollywood Reporter.

Fallon was criticised, among other things, for having ruffled Mr Trump’s hair.

“When Jimmy Fallon apologized for having humanized ‘Trump,’ and his ratings soared, the Radical Left forced him to apologize – that was effectively the end of The Tonight Show. In any event, congratulations to Greg Gutfield!” Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday, misspelling Mr Gutfeld’s name.