Sep 23, 2025 2 min read

Will someone please explain to me why the debacle about the content of late-night talk show monologues? You don’t have to be a MAGA supporter to understand the economics here. When a talk show relentlessly pounds one political party in support of the agenda of the other, the polarization translates into viewership, lost viewership. Viewership equals ratings, lower ratings equal lost sponsorship. Sponsors pay the bills.

I’ll bet that there are Independents, Republicans and Democrats who stay up late at night and watch TV. Why would you want to air a show that automatically alienates half of the available viewership? Are they going to tune into a program that they consider tastelessly politically controversial? News flash: Non-Democrats watch commercials and buy products. Non-Democrats sit on boards and make policy decisions. Non-Democrats sign paychecks.

How this genre of TV show has maintained itself as long as it has amazes me. Does this make good business sense: Open a store and only allow sales to people with brown eyes? This is the same thing.

I remember when late-night talk shows were actually funny. There might be a lighthearted political crack here or there but nothing like the acrimonious remarks of today. I hope the writers of today’s shows are getting the message, because up until now they keep hitting their heads against the wall and wonder why it hurts. Free speech has a time and a place but does not give it license over this bottom line.

Wise up. Watch some old Johnny Carson tapes. Maybe you’ll learn something.

Sally Brown-Pawlosky

Hickory

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