Jimmy Fallon and Greg Gutfeld

[Mick]

Fallon got roasted for having Greg Gutfeld on his show.

Stephen Colbert, recently terminated because his show was losing eight figures annually. He had 279 guests on, zero on the right side of the spectrum. To a CNN talking head (Kaitlan Collins), Colbert referred to CNN by saying “I know you guys are objective over there, that you just report the news as it is” in a discussion about the Presidential race — which drew derisive laughter from the audience. Collins says “Is that supposed to be a laugh line?” and Colbert replies “It wasn’t supposed to be, but I guess it is.”

Both Johnny Carson and Jay Leno declined to pick sides, roasting both sides because let’s face it — there’s a lot of material on both sides. Originally, John Stewart was the same. When candidate Obama designed a seal that looked like the Presidential seal — long before the election — Stewart ruthlessly mocked the contrast between Obama’s slogan — “Yes, we can!” by saying “but maybe you shouldn’t.” You can’t find that hilarious clip anywhere.

James Bennet, a former New York Times editor, stated that the media had a responsibility to admit it and apologize when they get stories incorrect, particularly major stories. He was fired. James McNeil, NYT science reporter was pressured to resign despite the NYT advancing his COVID series for a Pulitzer. Dean Baquet lost his job in similar circumstances.

I preferred the era in which reporters reported and concentrated on facts and not editorializing. Sure, you had some numbskull reporters, like DemLefty Molly Ivins who said “all you need to ensure the solvency of Social Security is a 2% increase.” Ah, no. You would need a 32.5% increase (she was referring to the withholding rate, which would have to go from 6.15% to 8.15%…a 32.5% increase).

I don’t like or trust polemic reporting. I remember two Philly-based reporters writing a book a few decades back indicating that America was tanking (spoiler alert: it wasn’t), and it was written in the most uneven, one-sided style possible.

And the media wonders why trust in American media is at a record low. It reached a peak in 1976, about 72% of the public trusted the media. Today, it is 31%. It has been a long, slow, inexorable — and yet completely understandable — decline since then.

Americans’ Trust in Media Remains at Trend Low

[Mick]

Spoiler alert: guess which guest delivered Fallon’s highest ratings in two years?

Jimmy Fallon Scores Highest Ratings in Nearly 2 Years After Greg Gutfeld Interview

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