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Volume XXII Number 3: Winter 2008

The Comedy Campaign: The Role of Late-Night TV Shows in Campaign '08

This issue of Media Monitor examines two aspects of the role television shows played in the 2008 presidential election campaign: The appearances that the candidates made on these shows and jokes about the candidates that the shows fea- tured in stand-up monologues or other comedy routines.

MAJOR FINDINGS:

• Presidential candidates appeared over 100 times on late-night TV, four times as often as in the 2004 campaign. pg. 2

• John McCain and his family appeared on more than 20 shows. pg. 3

• edged out as the host with the most candidates as guests. pg. 3

• John McCain attracted 658 jokes from late-night comedians during the general election. pg. 3

• finished fourth in the joke race behind McCain, , and George W. Bush. pg. 4

• The GOP ticket was joked about four times as often as the Democratic ticket. pg. 4

• Republicans have attracted more jokes than Democrats in four straight elections. pg. 5

• Leno’s jokes were the most balanced between the parties; Letterman’s were the least bal- anced. pg. 5 The Comedy Campaign: The Role of Late-Night TV Shows in Election '08

When took his sax campaign landscape – so much Live. From April 2006 (when on the Show in so that an- became the first 1992 it was a controversial nounced his candidacy on the official candidate in campaign move that had pundits predict- Daily Show. In campaign ‘08, ’08) until Election Day, the ing dire consequences. Eight the trend continued, with John candidates and their families years later, both George W. McCain throwing his hat in the made 110 appearances on the Bush and made time ring on the Late Show with late night shows. Fifty of these for appearances on the Tonight and Fred took place during the campaign Show and the Late Show with Thompson following suit on the “preseason” prior to the prima- David Letterman as part of Tonight Show. ries, and 60 were in calendar their general election cam- year 2008. This represents paigns. Their appearances were more than a fourfold increase “The Road to the White House seen as necessary outreach to over the 2004 campaign, when Runs Through Me” parts of the electorate that were candidates made only 25 ap- otherwise politically The list of late night talk and pearances on late night shows. unengaged. The Pew Research comedy shows has grown over David Letterman’s quip, “the Center found that in 2000, the years and now includes the road to the White House runs almost half (47%) of those Tonight Show, Late Show with through me,” has become a surveyed under 30 got informa- David Letterman, Latenight truism for the late night hosts. tion about the candidates from with O’Brien, Late Late The clear benefit of a late night late night shows. A second Show with Craig Ferguson, the appearance is a large block of survey in 2004 found similar Daily Show with Jon Stewart, time to speak directly to the utilization of the late night Colbert Report, Jimmy Kimmel public. In 2000, George Bush shows for information. Live, Last Call with Carson was on-screen for a total of 13 Daly, Real Time with Bill By 2004, the late night shows minutes during one October Maher and Saturday Night were a regular part of the appearance on the Late Show

Late Night Candidate Appearances 2007 through Election Day

20 13 11 11 15 10 61 2 1 1 5 0 1 0 0 0 4 5 4 5 44 0 1 1 0 1 1 33222 22 1 0 1 1 0 00

Number of Appearances l n s d r rr e o ch n ve n n lin te a er e i od ney b int Paul n so liani so Pa B ad l Biden ward ci D Gra u p N McCain Obama C mp Gi om ardso Hun Ed Ku R om Hucka H h ich . Tho R F T T

2007 2008

Media Monitor Winter 2008 Page 2 The Comedy Campaign: The Role of Late-Night TV Shows in Election '08

with David Letterman, which Candidate Appearances per Show exceeded his entire speaking time on all three network news April 1, 2006 - November 4, 2008 shows during the month of October. Similarly, Al Gore Tonight Show 22 received more air time from Daily Show 21 one September appearance with Late Show 19 Letterman than on all 15 network newscasts for the same Bill Maher 12 month (Media Monitor Nov/ Sat. Night Live 8 Dec 2000). Kimmel 5 While the shows provide Late Night 4 candidates with an unfiltered Late Late Show 3 platform to talk to the elector- Last Call 1 ate, candidate appearances can 0 5 10 15 20 25 be very good for ratings. John Number of appearances McCain’s appearance on the Late Show on October 16th gave was a close paign season. the show its best ratings in second to McCain with 16 late The Punchline Race almost three years. Sarah night appearances, including Palin’s appearance on Saturday several during the While the candidates were Night Live (on October 18th), writers’ strike. Close behind using the late night shows to gave that show its best ratings was Barack Obama, who made advance their own messages, in 14 years. Michelle Obama 15 appearances. Rounding out the hosts were using the candi- set a new ratings record for the the top five were Hillary dates as fodder for nightly Daily Show with her Oct. 8 Clinton (7 appearances), Joe punchlines. From the an- appearance, only to have it Biden (6) and (6). nouncement of as the surpassed when her husband Democratic Vice Presidential The various late night shows appeared on Oct 29. nominee on Aug 23rd, which also had different appetites for kicked off the party convention Candidates’ use of the late political guests. The Tonight phase of the campaign, until night shows varied widely, Show featured the most candi- Election Day on November 4th, from a high of 17 appearances date appearances (22), followed Jay Leno, David Letterman, for John McCain to single by with 21 and Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart appearances for Duncan Hunter The Late Show with 19. and Stephen Colbert told over (R ), (Libertarian) and The Colbert Report (15) and 3,000 jokes (3,376) about (I). When appear- Later with Bill Maher (12) public figures. ances by McCain’s wife and were the only other shows to daughter Meghan are included, The most joked about figure have more than ten candidate the McCain family appeared on was John McCain with 658 appearances during the cam- 21 shows. jokes, His running mate Sarah Media Monitor Winter 2008 Page 3 The Comedy Campaign: The Role of Late-Night TV Shows in Election '08

Jokes About Public Figures was the target of 1,264 jokes. placed second 2008 General Election (8/23 - 11/3) for the year with 663 jokes, John McCain 658 followed closely by Barack Sarah Palin 566 Obama with 641 jokes. Sarah Ge or ge Bus h 244 Palin’s two and a half months Barack Obama 243 in the limelight put her in Joe Biden 87 Hillary Clinton 84 fourth place with 566 jokes. Bill Clinton 68 Rounding out the top five O.J. Simpson 45 candidate targets for the year Dick Cheney 43 was (132 Joe Wurzelbacher 32 punchlines). John Edwards (92 Larry Craig 25 Henry Paulson 24 jokes), Joe Biden (91), Ralph Joe Lieberman 20 Nader (69), Mike Huckabee Kim Jong-Il 19 (58) and (36) fill John Edwards 18 out the remainder of the top ten Ralph Nader 18 candidate targets. John Kerry 15 Bristol Palin 13 The disparity between the 12 Mahmoud Ahmadinejad 10 Republican and Democratic tickets in the general election 0 200 400 600 800 punchline race was dramatic – there were nearly four times as Palin placed second with 566 Joe the Plumber) rounded out many jokes about McCain/Palin jokes. President George W. the top ten with 32 jokes. as there were about Obama/ Bush placed third with 244 Biden (1224 vs. 330). jokes, and Barack Obama During the entire 2008 cam- Throughout all of 2008, placed fourth with 243. Biden paign from January 1 through McCain was the target of 1264 placed fifth with 87 jokes, Election Day, John McCain edging out Hillary Clinton (84). Former President Bill Clinton McCain/Palin vs. Obama/Biden Jokes was the target of 68 jokes. 2008 Rounding out the top ten, O.J. Simpson was the only target in 1500 1224 the top ten who was not con- nected to Campaign ’08. His 1000 trial and conviction on armed 606 Obama/Biden robbery charges garnered 45 398 330 500 McCain/Palin jokes. Number of Jokes of Number Vice President Dick Cheney 0 was the target of 43 jokes, Primaries Gen Election while Joe Wurzelbacher (aka Media Monitor Winter 2008 Page 4 The Comedy Campaign: The Role of Late-Night TV Shows in Election '08

Jokes About the GOP vs. Democratic Tickets

735

238 289 214 800 700 600 500 400 GOP 300 200 100 176 179 Dems 0 114 146 1996 2000 2004 2008

punchlines vs. 26 percent for jokes vs. 641 for Obama. partisans in 2008. Of those Democrats. partisan jokes, Republicans While this disparity between were the butt of 60 percent vs. Some hosts were more even- the tickets in 2008 is striking, 40 percent targeting Democrats handed in their treatment of the pattern has held true (to a during all of 2008. During the Republicans and Democrats lesser extent) during every primaries and the summer, than others. Throughout 2008, general election since 1996. jokes were almost evenly split Jay Leno was the most bal- Three late night shows have (52% GOP vs. 48% Democrats) anced with 46 percent of jokes been around since the 1996 but during the general election targeting Democrats vs. 54 election: , (8/25 through 11/4/08) the gap percent aimed at the GOP. Late Show with David widened. Republicans were During the primaries and Letterman and Late Night with joked about in 74 percent of summer he told more jokes Conan O’Brien. Between Labor Day and Election day in each cycle there have been Partisan Distribution of Punchlines in 2008 more jokes told about the GOP ticket than the Democratic 80% ticket. 60% 48% This partisan disparity among 40% joke targets holds true beyond 40% 26% 74% 60% 52% the presidential candidates. 20% When we combine all current Percent ofJokes and former elected officials into 0% Overall Primaries Gen Election Democratic and Republican groups we found that there All Democrats All Republicans were 5,825 jokes about political

Media Monitor Winter 2008 Page 5 The Comedy Campaign: The Role of Late-Night TV Shows in Election '08

Partisan Focus of Jokes by Show

100%

80% 47% 51% 53% 51% 66% 58% 60% 81% 75% 72% 73% 40% 53% 49% 47% 49% 20% 34% 42% 19% 25% 28% 27% 0% 0 0 0 0

n n n ies io tion o o ion ct cti cti aries mar le lec le le m i E E E imaries E Elect n n en e en en e -G -G G -G eno-Pr o-G n t- rt L n an e e O'Brien-Primariesrie ar Colbert-Pri b L rm Stewart-Pr Lette rma n-P rimariese ol O'B Stew C Lett

All Dems All GOP about Democrats (53% vs. 47% Colbert (53% and 51% respec- comedy image shifted during GOP), but in the general elec- tively) were aimed at the GOP the campaign. The adulation or tion two-thirds of his jokes during the primaries. During “rock star” treatment he re- targeted the GOP (66% vs. the general election, jokes ceived on the campaign trail 34%). At the other extreme, about the GOP outpaced those was the subject of 24 jokes. David Letterman was the least about Democrats by almost His 30 minute infomercial just balanced with two-thirds of three-to-one on both shows. days before the election and jokes for the year (67%) target- other campaign ads were ing Republicans vs. 33 percent targeted by 19 jokes. Jokes aimed at Democrats. During The Substance of Jokes about Mr. Obama’s potential to the primaries 58 percent of handle the economic crisis There were also differences in Letterman jokes targeted the drew 13 jokes. The racial the substance of jokes told GOP. But in the general elec- aspects of the campaign (12) about the two tickets. Sarah tion 81 percent were aimed at and his personality (11) round Palin jokes focused on her the GOP. out the top five topics of intelligence (105), her physical Obama jokes. For Senator Conan O’Brien was almost appearance (61) and her folksy Biden, the most common perfectly balanced during the ways (60). McCain was most punchline topic was his physi- primaries (51% Democrats vs. often joked about because of cal appearance (15 jokes), in 49% Republicans, but during his age (202) followed in very particular his lack of hair, the general election three distant second place by jokes followed by his personality quarters of his punchlines were about personality (29) and his quirks (14), his intelligence (4), aimed at the GOP. A slight intelligence (29). his outlook on the economy (4), majority of the jokes told by Jokes about Barack Obama and his campaign advertising Jon Stewart and Stephen lacked a clear focus as his (3).

Media Monitor Winter 2008 Page 6 The Comedy Campaign: The Role of Late-Night TV Shows in Election '08

Top 5 Specific Joke Topics by Candidate

McCain Palin Obama Biden

Age 202 Knowledge 105 Adulation 24 Physical Appear 15

Personality 37 Physical Appear 61 Advertising 19 Personality 14

Knowledge 29 Folksiness 60 Economy 13 Knowledge 4

Personal Wealth 27 Journalism 36 Race Relations 12 Economy 4

Entertainment 27 Personality 35 Personality 11 Advertising 3

Sample Jokes by pretending he was French Presi- networks Barack Obama had a half McCain dent Nicolas Sarkozy. Yeah, the hour infomercial. I thought it had a comedian says it was really difficult wonderful ending. In the final scene McCain was asked how he’s going to to trick Palin into believing he was Barack Obama is adopted by conserve energy. He said by taking Nicolas Sarkozy, because she has no Angelina Jolie. – Letterman three naps a day. – Leno idea who that is. – O’Brien Did you all see Barack Obama’s Don’t kid yourself. McCain is very I just got my 2009 Sarah Palin infomercial? The show went very popular in Florida. At one campaign calendar. Pretty hot stuff. In one, well. I especially liked the end where stop it was cute, a proud mother she’s all sudsy with a sponge working Barack rose to the heavens on a handed him her 48-year-old son for a on a moose. And in April, it’s Sarah cloud. — Leno kiss. — Letterman Palin in a bikini firing a state trooper. — Letterman Biden Folks this is election eve, and as always, tonight I’m leaving out a plate Tomorrow night, Sarah Palin will be Senator Joe Biden, he lost his voice of macaroni salad and Tums for John on “.” When they on the campaign trail yesterday. Turns McCain, who will visit every house told her, she said, “What night is that out, a hair plug stuck in his throat. — and leave good girls and boys on?” — Leno Leno pamphlets linking Barack Obama to Bill Ayers. — Colbert Obama Jon Stewart, “Joe the Gaffer’s most recent “Biden” occurred at a closed Halloween, it’s the dead walking The big story is Obama’s world tour. door fund-raiser in where he among the living. That’s what Today he made history by being the worked to reassure the crowd that Halloween is. You know, they come first man to travel around the world in Obama was ready.” Joe Biden, back to life and they’re dead but a plane propelled by the media’s flash “Mark my words, it will not be six they’re walking around. No, wait a photography. – Colbert months before the world tests Barack minute, that’s the McCain campaign. Obama like it did John Kennedy. The tour may strike some as presump- — Letterman Watch, we will have an international tuous. In fact, I joked that Obama crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.” Palin would be stopping in Bethlehem to Jon Stewart, “Gaffe! Senator Biden visit the manger where he was born. – there is no law that says that the Stewart I can’t believe this happened. Over things that are bouncing around in the weekend, a comedian, tricked your skull have to come out through Last night on all the major television Sarah Palin into getting on the phone your pie hole.” — Stewart

Media Monitor Winter 2008 Page 7 The Comedy Campaign: The Role of Late-Night TV Shows on Election '08

Media Monitor (Copyright © 2008) is published quarterly by the Center for Media and Public Affairs, a nonpartisan and nonprofit research organization. The Center conducts scientific studies of how the media treat social and political issues. Yearly individual and organizational subscriptions are available. E-mail: [email protected] • On the Web: www.cmpa.com • Phone: 202-223-2942 • Fax: 202-872-4014

Editor: Production and Graphics: Dr. S. Robert Lichter Research Director: Director of Administration: Daniel Amundson Antonia Glynn Executive Director: Research Assistants: Donald Rieck Matt Curry, Judy Goss, Yue Mary Hu, Ben Wilkins

Center for Media and Public Affairs Comedy Campaign: 2100 L Street, N.W. Suite 300 Washington, D.C. 20037 The Role of Late-Night TV Shows in Election '08