During the fall presidential campaign, a Media Research Center study found that hosts of the late-night "comedy" shows told a total of 1,463 jokes about Donald Trump and Kamala Harris -- but 1,428 of them were about Trump, and only 35 were about Harris. That's a whopping 40:1 ratio or almost 98 percent to 2 percent.

From September 3 through October 25, MRC analysts assessed 136 episodes of Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, and NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night with Seth Meyers. 

For comparison, in 2023, the ratio of Trump to Joe Biden jokes was 3:1, or 74 percent. The 98 percent number is similar to the 96 percent figure from 2020 that the Center for Media and Public Affairs out of George Mason University reached for the 2020 campaign, although CMPA’s numbers did not include Seth Meyers.

In addition to the 1,428-35 Trump-Harris split, analysts also found that the comedians told 302 jokes about the vice presidential candidates. Of these, 236 were directed at J.D. Vance compared to 66 at Tim Walz. That equates to a 4:1 ratio with 78 percent aimed at Vance.

Combined, that comes out to a 1,664-101 comparison with a 16:1 ratio targeting the GOP ticket 94 percent of the time.

Over the same time span, the comedians also welcomed 44 liberal celebrity, journalist, and political guests compared to zero conservatives. Those included one Colbert interview with Harris, two — one Kimmel and one Daily Show — with Walz, and one Kimmel with Doug Emhoff.

Sample ‘Jokes’

If political ideology is a spectrum, so is political comedy. Donald Trump got the full range of jokes from light-hearted jabs about his dancing skills to mean-spirited rants like Jimmy Kimmel Live! writer and wife of the eponymous host Molly McNearney, telling him to “shut up and go away. Go to Mar-a-Lago, spend all day, every day, cheating at golf and masturbating to Newsmax, and let a competent woman take over.”

Likewise, JD Vance got the full gamut of jokes from mocking his awkward visit at a donut shop to enjoying the false story that Vance once had sex with a couch to his supposedly anti-woman views, such as when The Daily Show’s Michael Kosta reacted to the VP debate on abortion: “Yeah, you see, America? Republicans do support diversity. Some states believe women should have rights, and some don't. It’s the beautiful tapestry of America.”

Here is a video from NewsBusters video editor Bill D'Agostino highlighting some of the attacks launched against the GOP ticket:

 

 

By contrast, Kamala Harris was treated softly. A typical joke about her would see the comedians making fun of how often she sends fundraising texts or feigning fear at her claims to own a Glock. More recently, the comedians have tried to mask their own unease about the closeness of the election by joking about Harris's poll numbers. Jokes about Harris trying to go from the most liberal member of the Senate to a centrist, her word salads, or allegations that she plagiarized her book were completely nonexistent.

Likewise, Tim Walz was also only gently mocked as the kind of guy who gets excited about corn dog recipes and DIY car repairs, or how he reminds the hosts of Wilson from Home Improvement. Jokes about Walz making up details about his life on everything from his military career, political career, and teaching history were mostly ignored. Kosta did manage to rib Walz one time for his false claim that he was in Hong Kong during the Tiananmen Square Massacre.

Jimmy Kimmel (28 Episodes)

If ABC News was the most biased during the campaign, ABC’s comedian was also the most one-sided. Jimmy Kimmel targeted the GOP ticket 97 percent of the time, telling 504 total jokes about the Republican ticket compared to 18 about the Democratic ticket. 

When it came to the top of the ticket, Kimmel told 99 percent of his jokes about Trump. Specifically, he told 437 jokes about Trump and 5 about Harris.

For the VP nominees, Kimmel directed 67 jokes Vance’s way compared to 13 towards Walz or 84 percent.

Kimmel would also welcome 12 liberal guests. In addition to Walz and Emhoff, Kimmel’s guests included Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, Rep. Eric Swalwell, and Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock.

Seth Meyers (27 Episodes)

Over the nearly two-month study, Seth Meyers delivered 97 percent of campaign jokes towards the Republican ticket: 449 about the Trump-Vance and 16 about Harris-Walz.

Meyers told 98 percent of jokes about Trump-Harris jokes about Trump with a specific count of 390-7.

Vance was targeted 87 percent of the time, leading the aspiring VPs with 59 compared to Walz's 9.

Meyers guest count was more modest at 2-0.

Stephen Colbert (27 Episodes)

Over the course of the study, Stephen Colbert would joke about the Republican ticket at a 92 percent clip with a final score of 335-28.

For the top of the tickets, Colbert also targeted Trump with 98 percent of his jokes, lobbing 287 towards Trump and 7 towards Harris.

For running mates, Vance was subjected to 70 percent or 48 Colbert jokes, while Walz was subjected to 21. 

Additionally, Colbert brought on 15 liberal guests. Other than Harris, they included Rep. Jasmine Crockett and Sen. Mark Kelly and Sen. John Fetterman.

Jimmy Fallon (28 Episodes)

Jimmy Fallon would end up directing 178 jokes towards the Republican ticket compared to 17 at the Democratic one, which only seems modest when compared to Kimmel, Colbert, and Meyers, because it still equates to a lopsided 91 percent.

Trump occupied Fallon's attention 96 percent of the time as he hurled 154 jokes Trump’s way compared to 6 to Harris. 

Fallon also lobbed 24 jokes towards Vance and 11 towards Walz for a relatively modest 69 percent.

Similarly, Fallon’s guest count was 3-0, which included former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

The Daily Show (26 Episodes)

The carousel of Jon Stewart-hosted Mondays and weekly temp hosts combined to focus on the GOP ticket 90 percent of the time for a count of 198-22. Like Fallon's, The Daily Show’s numbers are only modest in comparison.

The Daily Show was the only show to reach double digits on Harris jokes, albeit barely. They told 160 Trump jokes and 10 Harris jokes for a mark of 94 percent.

Additionally, 76 percent of VP jokes were directed towards Vance with the final tally being 38-12. 

Finally, The Daily Show welcomed 12 liberal guests during the study’s duration. In addition to Walz, they included Stacey Abrams and Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm.

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It may not seem too surprising when the late night comedians double as Democratic fundraisers that 98 percent of their Trump-Harris jokes target Trump, but that is still a mind-boggling number. The CMPA found that in 2016, Trump was the recipient of 78 percent of their jokes, virtually identical to the 77 percent that they told about Mitt Romney in 2012. Even during the Biden years, the hosts could bring themselves to make “Biden is old” quips, but for the comedians, this election is no laughing matter and nothing that could harm Harris is to be discussed.

Methodology: All monologue jokes about any of the four candidates were assessed, as well as any quips and comments about any of the candidates made during interviews or produced pieces.

Foreign political guests were not included.

All ratios and percentages listed above are rounded to nearest whole number.