The Hill Newspaper noted that President Donald Trump recently took to Twitter and suggested that he and Republicans need Equal Time on Late Night TV. Trump notably has been the butt of jokes by such late night hosts as Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel has begun to leave humor behind and turn his monologues into emotional rants about subjects ranging from gun control to health care. However, the president did not indicate how “equal time” would work.
Trump has been attacked on late night more than any recent president
George Mason University recently released a study that pointed out that Trump was the butt of 1060 jokes by late night talk show hosts during his first 100 days in office alone.
That number contrasts to President Obama getting targeted by 936 jokes during his first year. President George W. Bush got zinged 546 times during the first year of his presidency. President Bill Clinton had 440 jokes told about him during his first year. So, it would seem, that Trump was on solid ground when he complained that he was being ridiculed more than his predecessors.
What would ‘equal time’ look like?
Trump did not mention what “equal time” on late night talk shows would look like. Would comedians be required to tell as many jokes about the president’s enemies as they do Trump? Would networks be required to hire conservative hosts to balance out the liberals?
Trump misses the big picture
The president, by complaining about being ridiculed by late-night comedians, is missing the big picture. The viewership of the traditional shows that air after the local news has been in steady decline, partly because of the hard-edged anti-Trump stance being taken by some of the hosts. On the other hand, conservative talk radio, which tends to have a bigger audience, is more likely to cut the president a break.
Rush Limbaugh has 14 million weekly listeners. Sean Hannity is right behind him with 13.5 million in his audience. The two right-wing radio hosts have been the president’s most fervent supporters.
Trump, who knows something about performing in front of the cameras, is very capable of providing his own equal time. He has not been shy about attacking his enemies, on Twitter and in person.
Trump needs to hire a staff of comedy writers to help him do so in a humorous manner. If the president is really bothered by the beating he is getting four or five nights a week, he can give it back in equal measure any time he wants to. The media may hate Trump, but it has to broadcast his every utterance.
