<\/p>\n
When news broke that CBS was canceling \u201cThe Late Show With Stephen Colbert,\u201d Fox News wasted no time <\/span>declaring victory.<\/span><\/a> According to their spin, Colbert wasn\u2019t just getting axed \u2014 he was being dethroned by their own 10 p.m. star, Greg Gutfeld, who they proudly proclaimed the \u201cratings king of late night.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Gutfeld, who <\/span>has been dubbed<\/span><\/a> the \u201cJon Stewart of right-wing comedy,\u201d has become a symbol of what some are calling a new era in political humor, one where political satire, historically the domain of the progressive left, now punches from the right.<\/span><\/p>\n Of course, it\u2019s entirely possible you\u2019ve never heard of Gutfeld unless you watch Fox News. But that doesn\u2019t mean his influence is negligible. Gutfeld\u2019s rise marks a <\/span>rightward shift<\/span><\/a> in mainstream political comedy<\/span>. His show doesn\u2019t just fill a gap for conservative viewers who\u2019ve long felt alienated by liberal-leaning satire; it also reflects a broader cultural turn, where punchlines with a populist, right-wing and often combative edge are echoing far beyond the alt-right corners of the internet.<\/span><\/p>\n But does that mean that Gutfeld is really the future of late-night? Has his conservative brand of ironic humor replaced that of comedians like Colbert?<\/span><\/p>\n The answer is: Not by a mile.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Despite being the most successful right-wing political comic on television, Gutfeld has never come close to matching the reach or influence of Colbert. Frankly, the comparison is laughable \u2014 especially when the <\/span>primary evidence cited<\/span><\/a> in Gutfeld\u2019s favor is Nielsen ratings.<\/span><\/p>\n If we\u2019re going to accurately measure a comedian\u2019s cultural force, we need more than just raw viewership numbers. True influence comes from a blend of metrics \u2014 quantitative (ratings, social media followers, YouTube views) and qualitative (cultural relevance, viral moments, awards, critical reception).<\/span><\/p>\n By any comprehensive standard, Gutfeld simply doesn\u2019t stack up. He reaches a smaller, more insular audience. His presence in public discourse is far more limited. And most importantly, his comedy lacks the sharpness, originality and resonance that make Colbert\u2019s work not just popular, but iconic.<\/span><\/p>\n The math<\/b><\/p>\n On a clip that aired shortly after the CBS cancellation announcement, Gutfeld gloated that his Nielsen ratings were higher than Colbert\u2019s, a fact that has been endlessly repeated as purported \u201cproof\u201d that Colbert\u2019s was a dying brand. Smugly, <\/span>Gutfeld noted<\/span><\/a> that \u201cMath is what happens to other people.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n So let\u2019s take a moment and do some math, because the numbers reveal Gutfeld\u2019s claim that he dominates Colbert is false by almost every metric. In fact, the only metric where Gutfeld can claim to outshine Colbert \u2014 the Nielsen ratings \u2014 is possibly the least socially significant one, given a media environment where fewer and fewer viewers watch political comedy on televisions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As far as Nielsen viewer statistics go, the results for the two shows are <\/span>not really that different<\/span><\/a> when we account for the fact that they air at drastically different times (Colbert starts at 11:35 p.m.; Gutfeld at 10 p.m.), and that Gutfeld has literally no market competition as the only conservative late-night comedy host. Colbert, in comparison, airs against both Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, thereby dividing a like-minded market.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Show<\/b>Total Viewers (avg)<\/b>18\u201349 Demo<\/b>25\u201354 Demo<\/b>Gutfeld!<\/b>~3.29 M<\/span>~238K<\/span>~398K<\/span>The Late Show<\/b>~2.42 M<\/span>~219K<\/span>~288K<\/span><\/p>\n Here\u2019s the other thing. Gutfeld might get a higher number of viewers according to Nielsen, but Colbert tops him in the average share of the viewer market. Nielsen <\/span>tracks two types of data<\/span><\/a>: Viewers (the total number of sets tuned in) and share (the percentage of households watching television at a specific time.) When we compare <\/span>market share<\/span><\/a>, Gutfeld gets 7.16, less than Colbert\u2019s 9.2 \u2014 again, this is even more noteworthy because the market size is much smaller at 11:35 p.m. than at 10 p.m.<\/span><\/p>\n But \u2014 and this fact is critical \u2014 Nielsen ratings account for only a small part of total viewer numbers. Take, for example, YouTube, where many viewers see these shows either as clips or in their entirety. On that platform, \u201cThe Late Show With Stephen Colbert\u201d has 10.1 million subscribers, and clips of his opening monologues regularly get around 2.5 million views. Meanwhile, the entire Fox News network has just over 14 million subscribers on YouTube. Clips from \u201cGutfeld!\u201d tend to average about 500,000 views on a good day, a consistent five times less than those watching Colbert\u2019s monologues.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n As you can see from this chart, Colbert\u2019s audiences dwarf Gutfeld\u2019s across every major electronic media platform. Colbert\u2019s show has four times more followers on X (a platform on which the show has stopped posting new material), almost six times more on Facebook, eight times more on Instagram and an astonishing 115 times more followers on TikTok. (Chart by Salon \/ Data from Sophia A. McClennen & Christopher Zorn)<\/span><\/p>\n Numbers are a valuable metric to help us track impact, but they don\u2019t tell the whole story. We need to also pay attention to the extent to which a comedian influences how people think about issues, how they shape public discourse and how they influence the art of comedy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n There is not one example of Gutfeld influencing the public lexicon, changing political views, educating his viewers or engaging in <\/span>the types of crossover events<\/span><\/a> for which Colbert has been famous. Colbert coined new words, gave an iconic performance at the 2006 White House Correspondents Association dinner in front of then-President George W. Bush, performed on the National Mall, testified before Congress, started a Super PAC, ran for president (twice), regularly interviewed candidates and politicians on both sides of the aisle, and has been discussed incessantly in both liberal and conservative media.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Want more sharp takes on politics? Sign up for our free newsletter<\/a>, Standing Room Only,<\/em> written by Amanda Marcotte, now also a weekly show on YouTube or wherever you get your podcasts<\/span>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n Meanwhile, Gutfeld has not done a single one of these things. Thus far, the most noteworthy elements of his career have resulted from insensitive or derogatory comments. In one of his most \u201cfamous\u201d moments, <\/span>he claimed<\/span><\/a> that Kyle Rittenhouse did the \u201cright thing\u201d when the then-teenager shot and killed two men and wounded another during the August 2020 protests over the police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisc. (Rittenhouse pleaded self-defense and was acquitted in November 2021.) Besides there being nothing remotely related to comedy in his statement, Gutfeld\u2019s remark underscores how his brand is almost entirely built on bile, bite and snark \u2014 a combination, for what it\u2019s worth, that basically describes every right-wing media influencer out there.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Colbert, in contrast, became famous after creating one of the most socially significant satirical characters in U.S. history \u2014 the persona he played on \u201cThe Colbert Report.\u201d During his run on \u201cThe Late Show,\u201d he has further honed his craft to regularly use ironic wit to not just entertain his audiences, but also to get them to think differently about pressing social issues. His comedy frequently makes the news because it regularly affects how the public thinks. Gutfeld has no comparable examples.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n A search of \u201cFox News\u201d and \u201cStephen Colbert\u201d for the past year on Google yields over 15 million hits.\u00a0 A search of \u201cFox News\u201d and \u201cGreg Gutfeld\u201d for the past year yields 808,000 hits. Gutfeld\u2019s own network mentions Colbert more often than their own host.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n If you haven\u2019t, <\/span>watch a clip<\/span><\/a> of \u201cGutfeld!\u201d You will immediately notice that his jokes often get nothing more than a cringey, forced laugh from his audience. Now, to be fair, his studio audience has little in common with that inside the Ed Sullivan Theater where Colbert tapes his show. But live audience size aside, Gutfeld\u2019s jokes don\u2019t get laughs during tapings because, well, they just aren\u2019t that funny.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n After \u201cGutfeld!\u201d first aired, Variety\u2019s chief correspondent Daniel D\u2019Addario <\/span>noted<\/span><\/a> that Gutfield\u2019s comedy is almost totally dependent on mean wisecracks that lack comedic art: \u201cCruelty is all Gutfeld has at his disposal. He has no affirmative argument for why one should watch his show.\u201d D\u2019Addario argued\u00a0 that what makes the show stand out is not its sense of humor but, rather, its unfiltered, biting jabs: \u201cEven by the standards of the network it\u2019s on, this is a nasty, unappealing thing.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Gutfeld is often referred to as a right-wing satirist \u2014 despite the fact that his comedy rarely meets the standards of actual satire, which depends on a creative use of irony. Right-wing audiences regularly confuse insult comedy with ironic satire but, <\/span>as I\u2019ve argued<\/span><\/a>, saying something s****y and then laughing, isn\u2019t comedy: It\u2019s just being a jerk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n But the real problem with Gutfeld\u2019s comedy is that he tries to offer zingers to versions of reality he has entirely fabricated, like his crack about math being what happens to other people. Take, for another example, this line from the <\/span>opening monologue<\/span><\/a> of his debut on \u201cGutfeld!\u201d: \u201cAs for those late-night shows we\u2019re supposed to compete against \u2014 why bother? Who do they offend?\u201d Gutfeld asked. \u201cThe only time Stephen Colbert ruffles feathers is in a pillow fight.\u201d That\u2019s a pretty odd statement, considering Trump himself has had his feathers ruffled <\/span>plenty of times<\/span><\/a> by Colbert, so much so that the president<\/span> celebrated<\/span><\/a> the idea that Colbert\u2019s show would be cancelled.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The point is that Colbert bothered Trump because his unique form of satire was able to redefine the president for the public, making it easier to understand an autocrat who is at once absurd and ridiculous, but also terrifying and megalomaniacal. His witty use of irony on \u201cThe Late Show\u201d \u2014 where he uses humor to help his audience better understand reality \u2014 ensures he will remain an American comedic legend. Colbert\u2019s comedy offers a masterclass in layered satire: He blends sharp political critique, intellectual wit and performative irony in an effort to hold power accountable while keeping his audience laughing.<\/span><\/p>\n In contrast, Gutfeld\u2019s most successful moments have been marked by a crude, jarring style that reinforces the power elite, stokes right-wing populism and justifies social inequality. Most importantly, his work commits the unforgivable comedic sin: While it may pack a mean punch, it is, ultimately, entirely forgettable.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n The post No, Greg Gutfeld will never outshine Stephen Colbert<\/a> appeared first on Salon.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.yahoo.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" When news broke that CBS was canceling \u201cThe Late Show With Stephen Colbert,\u201d Fox News wasted no time declaring victory. According to their spin, Colbert wasn\u2019t just getting axed \u2014 he was being dethroned by their own 10 p.m. star, Greg Gutfeld, who they proudly proclaimed the \u201cratings king of late night.\u201d Gutfeld, who has […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1951231,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[341497,22391,101314,341495,341496,22653],"class_list":["post-1951230","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment","tag-colbert-report","tag-fox-news","tag-greg-gutfeld","tag-nielsen-ratings","tag-political-humor","tag-stephen-colbert"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/No-Greg-Gutfeld-will-never-outshine-Stephen-Colbert.jpeg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1951230","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1951230"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1951230\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1951231"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1951230"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1951230"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1951230"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/span><\/p>\n
The impact<\/b><\/p>\n
The comedy<\/b><\/p>\n