Why Jay Leno is wrong when he complains about the "one-sided" nature of late-night comedy in the Trump era

The A.V. Club

The former Tonight Show host's comments to the Today show -- which he has made before -- gained attention when President Trump amplified them through his Twitter account. "What Leno actually bemoaned was a world in which no one will watch your show unless they’re convinced you have the 'right' politics, i.e., whatever it is they also happen to believe," says William Hughes. "Leno highlighted how ambiguous he kept his own stances, in what was apparently a measured and principled stand, and not an example of moral cowardice designed to maximize ratings and make Dave Letterman want to stick his head in a toilet. (He also tossed out 'civility,' that old watchword for 'Can we please stop arguing about things that matter and just bring out the Dancing Itos, please?')"

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