Veteran comedian and former “Tonight Show” host Jay Leno said Thursday he has taken a step back from political humor, citing a desire not to alienate his audience in today’s charged political climate.
Leno, known for his even-handed approach to satire during his late-night tenure, shared his insights during an appearance on “Piers Morgan Uncensored.” Leno reminisced about a time when jesting about politics served as the backbone of his comedic repertoire. “I just stopped doing politics in my act altogether because—you know, when I did ‘The Tonight Show,’ the idea was you make fun of both sides equally,” Leno told Piers Morgan.
“Now you’ve gotta take a side and people are angry if you don’t and I find that when I start to tell a political joke, they want to know the punch line before, is this for or against, you know,” Leno added. “So, I just stopped doing it because I just want people to come and laugh and have a good time. That’s the idea of doing a comedy show.” (RELATED: REPORT: Jay Leno Injured In Motorcycle Accident Just Months After Suffering Burns In Car Fire)
In the candid conversation with Morgan, Leno expressed his personal views, revealing that although he is “not a fan” of Donald Trump, he opposes any state-led efforts to exclude the former president from the electoral ballot, labeling such actions as counter to democratic principles.
“I’m against the cause that could turn against you,” he said. “I think we could do a little bit better. You know all these indictments, whatever it might be.”