‘WE NEVER DISCUSSED POLITICS’: Jay Leno on late-night TV now vs. then

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Jay Leno says things are a lot different on late-night television than when he was hosting The Tonight Show.

And while things have changed, one thing he suggests hosts should keep to themselves is their political beliefs.

The comedian ensured that during his tenure on late-night television that his humour was nonpartisan, which is no longer the case, something he thinks is a mistake.

“I got hate letters saying, ‘You and your Republican friends,’ and another saying, ‘I hope you and your Democratic buddies are happy,’ over the same joke,” Leno said in an interview with The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation & Institute.

“That’s how you get a whole audience,” he explained to David Trulio, the foundation’s president and CEO.

“Now, you have to be content with half the audience, because you have to give your opinion.”

The 75-year-old spoke about his friendship with late actor-comedian Rodney Dangerfield.

“I knew Rodney 40 years, and I have no idea if he was a Democrat or Republican,” Leno said.

“We never discussed politics; we just discussed jokes,” he continued.

“I like to think that people come to a comedy show to get away from the pressures of life,” Leno added.

“I love political humour, don’t get me wrong, but people wind up cozying too much to one side or the other.”

Earlier this month, CBS announced it was cancelling The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, citing financial reasons.

But the timing has been controversial, given Colbert’s criticism of President Donald Trump’s settlement with CBS parent company Paramount over a 60 Minutes lawsuit.

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While comedy can both unite and divide people, Leno said there are ways to establish common ground.

“I don’t think anybody wants to hear a lecture,” Leno said.

“Why shoot for just half an audience? Why not try to get the whole? I don’t understand why you would alienate one particular group.”

He noted that he likes to “bring people into the big picture,” before suggesting, “Or just don’t do it at all.”

The car buff added: “I’m not saying you have to throw your support [on one side]. But just do what’s funny.”

Leno hosted The Tonight Show from 1992 to 2009 before he went to prime time with his talk show The Jay Leno Show.

However, it was met with poor ratings, as was his Tonight Show successor, Conan O’Brien, and Leno eventually returned to the late-night spot in 2010 before retiring in 2014.

Jimmy Fallon took over as host in 2014 and has been at the helm since.