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Jay Leno is criticizing late-night hosts for inserting politics into their shows. The former 'Tonight Show' host took aim at partisan late-night shows in a recent interview with the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. While the interview was taped at least two weeks ago — likely before CBS made its shock announcement that it was canceling 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' on July 17 — the portion of the interview containing the late-night criticism was posted on YouTube last week and has been making the rounds this weekend due to recent headlines.

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00:00Jay Leno is criticizing late-night hosts for inserting politics into their shows.
00:05The former Tonight Show host took aim at partisan late-night shows in a recent interview with the
00:10Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation. While the interview was taped at least two weeks ago,
00:14likely before CBS made its shocking announcement that it was canceling the late show with Stephen
00:18Colbert on July 17th, the portion of the interview containing the late-night criticism was posted on
00:23YouTube last week and has been making the rounds this weekend due to recent headlines. He said in
00:29part, I like to think that people come to a comedy show to get away from the pressures of life.
00:33I love political humor, don't get me wrong, but people wind up cozying too much to one side or the
00:38other. He continued saying, I don't think anybody wants to hear a lecture. Why shoot for just half
00:43an audience? Why not try to get the whole? I like to bring people into the big picture. I don't
00:48understand why you would alienate one particular group or just don't do it at all. I'm not saying
00:52you have to throw your support on one side, but just do what's funny. Leno hosted The Tonight Show
00:57for 17 years across two separate stints, starting in 1999 and concluding in 2014.
01:03CBS abruptly announced The Late Show would conclude in May 2026 and called the move a financial
01:09decision, but it came days after Colbert criticized the network for paying a big fat bribe to President
01:14Donald Trump in the form of a $16 million settlement over a 60 minutes interview. Other late-night
01:20hosts, including current Tonight Show host Jimmy Fallon, have rallied behind Colbert.
01:24For more on this story, head to THR.com. And for the latest entertainment news and updates,
01:30keep watching The Hollywood Reporter News.

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