U.S. — Late-night comedy made a stunning return to form Monday following the inauguration of President Trump with hosts reportedly excited they can now make jokes about the president again.
"It's been tough not joking about the president," confessed Stephen Colbert. "I didn't vote for him but, honestly, I'm glad Trump won."
"It's been so long since I told a joke about a president," mused a visibly introspective Seth Meyers. "I'm not sure I know how to do it anymore."
Critical reviews of the night's episodes range from adequate to middling, but the energetic excitement each host brought to the broadcast was reportedly contagious and enough to overcome past ratings slumps. And networks believe the jokes are bound to improve.
"Trump was sworn in as president today... again," a laughing Jimmy Fallon said during Monday night's monologue on The Tonight Show. "This makes him both he 45th and the 47th president. Now, it's true! Have you heard this? He's going to be in the Hall of Presidents twice now. Now the two Grover Clevelands there will have someone to play pickleball with."
Drummers for the respective late-night bands claim they've never performed so many rimshots in their life. "These kids are young, but back in the old days Letterman would actually tell jokes," remarked Paul Shaffer, former band leader for Letterman and now Stephen Colbert.
The lack of jokes during the Biden presidency came from a desire to defend the president against political opponents and also because the White House used the FBI to threaten late-night comedians, say experts. The only exception is Jimmy Kimmel who, for reasons unknown, feels a sense of loyalty to former President Joe Biden.
At publishing time, the hosts were reportedly thumbing through a book called How to Write a Joke.
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