Ted Cruz, a regular on television, said that late night comedians have a double standard for Democrats and Republicans and are alienating half the country by focusing on bashing President Trump.
“When there’s a Democrat, they’re fawning, they’re nice, they talk about family, and they treat them like movie stars,” the Texas senator told the Washington Examiner.
“When Republicans go on, they want to be Tim Russert, they want to — ‘OK, let’s ask the hard question,'” Cruz said.
Comedian Stephen Colbert is “probably the worst,” he said, and Jimmy Fallon is the best because “at least he tries to be less viciously partisan.”
Of Colbert, Cruz said: “I don’t watch him, and I know a lot of people that don’t watch him anymore.”
Cruz, a staunch conservative who over the years as a senator and presidential candidate has been on a number of late night shows, said that the reason politicians go on late night shows is to show a softer, more personal side of themselves. The purpose of appearing on such a show, Cruz said, is not to talk about politics.
In 2018, Cruz even faced off against and beat late night host Jimmy Kimmel in a one-on-one basketball game for charity called the “Blobfish Basketball Classic.”
“You’re a good sport,” Kimmel told Cruz during the post-game ceremony. “I still think you’re a terrible senator.”
Cruz also bashed the television sketch comedy show Saturday Night Live.
“I mean, as a kid, I’ve watched Saturday Night Live for 40 years. It’s not nearly as funny anymore, because they can’t make a joke about anything other than they just hate Trump,” said Cruz.
He said that many late night comedians have become “blinded by hatred for Trump.”
“Several of the hosts have said, essentially, ‘If you’re a Trump supporter, don’t watch my show.’ I mean, they’re basically writing off half of America. That’s not good for comedy,” Cruz said.
Cruz said that late night show hosts who are liberal could do a better job of making fun of themselves and their own ideology.
“There’s a joke I like to tell, which is, how many hardcore leftists does it take to screw in a light bulb? That’s not funny!” Cruz said.
“The Left doesn’t have a sense of humor. Just laugh and have fun and make fun of yourself,” Cruz said.
