Reflecting on Stephen Colbert’s Impact on Political Comedy

When CBS’s “Late Show” wraps up on May 21, it will mark over two decades of Stephen Colbert’s tenure as a late-night host. His departure symbolizes the end of a significant cultural chapter. However, it’s worth pondering what specific era has concluded.

Many have long argued the decline of late-night television with dwindling monoculture, decreasing ratings, and hefty production costs. The conclusion of “The Late Show” leaves a landscape similar to before David Letterman started the franchise in 1993, albeit with additions like Jimmy Kimmel and various basic-cable programs.

The decline is not necessarily due to an audience fatigue with political comedy. Throughout his run, Colbert remained the highest-rated host in his time slot. Some speculate CBS’s decision was financially driven, sparking comparisons to the Smothers Brothers, whose popular political comic show on CBS was swapped for “Hee Haw” in 1969.

Colbert brilliantly navigated an era where political TV comedy was able to choose a partisan stance and still thrive. His career can be divided into two notable phases: the first was “The Colbert Report,” launched in October 2005, focusing on satirical takes on the political-media panorama. Stephen Colbert portrayed a charismatic blowhard, echoing the style of cable news pundits.

In transitioning to the “Late Show,” Colbert faced a time when politics increasingly parodied itself. This shift required an adaptation from satirizing politics to addressing a reality where the political scene was fantastical in itself.