This is serious business.
A recent analysis reveals that an astonishing 94% of jokes made by late-night TV hosts during the initial week of Operation Eric Fury were directed at the United States and its allies, rather than at Iran or other opponents. This information comes from an examination by MRC News Busters.
The study evaluated shows including ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” and NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” covering episodes aired from March 2 to March 5. Reviewing 20 episodes of “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” researchers found that 235 of the 250 jokes regarding the Middle East conflict targeted the U.S., Israel, and certain Arab nations, who were responding to Iranian assaults.
Seth Meyers led the pack with 52 jokes about the United States and exclusively made jokes targeting America.
In contrast, Iran, whose leaders famously chant “death to America” and also refer to it as “the great devil,” received only 15 jokes.
The U.S. bore the brunt of the jokes, with a total of 229 directed at it, while former President Trump was the most mocked individual, with 152 jokes aimed at him.
Kimmel humorously remarked about the Pentagon’s launch of what they called Operation Epic Fury, joking about its prior name, Operation Epstein Destruct. Colbert similarly linked the disgraced financier, saying, “Operation Epic Fury…is an anagram for Forget Epstein.”
Meyers made light of Trump’s announcement about airstrikes on February 28, quipping about the timing and setting. “If you’re going to announce an illegal, unconstitutional war from a private club at 3 a.m., can’t you at least remove your hat?” he asked.
Fallon also didn’t hold back, joking about Trump’s desire to influence the selection of Iran’s next supreme leader, comparing the process to a talent show with swimsuit and evening gown segments, which prompted an imaginative thought in Ilan about needing another MRI scan.
Coming in next on the joke tally was Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth with 23, followed by Sen. Markwayne Mullin with 14 jokes. The group included other Congressional Republicans like Senator Lindsey Graham.
Meyers stood out, delivering the highest number of U.S.-focused jokes, while Fallon and Kimmel closely followed, making a significant percentage of their jokes about the country.
Colbert pointed out that a large portion of his jokes also featured allies, while “The Daily Show’s” Jon Stewart and Michael Costa did likewise.
Interestingly, the research suggested a growing trend of left-leaning humor during late-night talks.
Outlook for 2025 suggests that an overwhelming 92% of late-night jokes will be aimed at right-wing figures, with liberal guests considerably outnumbering conservatives.
