One of the casualties of the first Trump administration was the demise of late-night comedy shows. And it has only gotten even worse with Trump's re-election. With the possible exception of Jimmy Fallon, who seems happy to leave politics out of his shows (for the most part), the rest of the mainstream late-night comedy shows abandoned being funny long ago in favor of becoming -- in the words of Stephen Miller -- 'late-night group therapy sessions for the left.'
We've seen unhinged tirades from Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel actually crying on camera, and John Oliver pretending that simply gaslighting any issue with a British accent somehow equals hilarity (to him, anyway).
Over at Comedy Central, it got so bad at The Daily Show that Trevor Noah disappeared off the face of the Earth and the network had to bring in a rotating platoon of hosts (including former host Jon Stewart) to air their nightly cringe-fests.
But maybe there is hope for Comedy Central's flagship program, in the form of a crude puppet dog who doesn't hold back in making fun of anyone.
Last weekend, The Daily Show sent Robert Smigel's Triumph the Insult Comic Dog out to attend 'The People's March,' which was once known as 'The Women's March,' but was rebranded this year under new corporate sponsorship (so much for being grassroots).
Smigel is also on the political left, but he seems to get something (or at least Triumph does) that Colbert, Kimmel, and the rest do not: the fact that the left in America is eminently mockable and we all can and should laugh at them.
Watch:
MUST WATCH! Triumph the insult comic dog completely destroys anti-Trump protesters.
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) January 23, 2025
This is a Daily Show segment...
they're openly eating their own now that Trump won and I'm here for every second of it. 🍿🍿🍿🤣🤣🤣pic.twitter.com/Tg1y47SrGF
It kind of petered out at the end with the 'storming' of the coffee shop (done in cooperation with the store, of course), but the first five minutes or so are comedy gold. Because every one of Triumph's jokes hit home.
'People for the legalization of medicinal bath salts,' 'pube hats,' 'unemployable Gen Zers,' they were all funny.
But we nearly spit out our drink at 'Keith Olber-monkey' and the 'How did Jimmy Carter die?' conspiracy theory.
“GOP STOP THE LIES! HOW DID JIMMY CARTER DIE!” Lmaoooooooooooo
— Cali-Florida Patriot 🇺🇸🐊 (@CaliPatriot20) January 23, 2025
As Triumph said himself, coincidence? We don't THINK so! LOL.
I don't know that Triumph (Robert Smigel) is a Trump supporter, but how more comedians aren't using all this free material is beyond me... https://t.co/MRQFjgNkmf
— Trump Doing Cool Shit (@DJTDoinCoolShit) January 23, 2025
He most assuredly is not, but at least he still has some recognition of what makes for good comedy. The pink hats alone should have been material for comedians for YEARS.
I was expecting cringe but I am actually impressed! I love “Smuggy the NPR Tote Bag”. https://t.co/t5Ia1aRa8u
— krissy’s krub hub and more (@babykwissy07) January 23, 2025
That was a good one too.
I am absolutely stunned that the @TheDailyShow produced 6 min of comedy. Trump is making comedy great again! https://t.co/icMtGM4g9c
— Mel (@letters_1234) January 23, 2025
None of the regular hosts would have thought to create this on-location bit, but credit to Smigel for doing it, and probably to Stewart as well for demanding The Daily Show run it (sometimes he still remembers what it means to be a comedian).
It’s about time leftists are played for laughs. What a vibe shift. https://t.co/J7kPyRQhAb
— Zentopher Skaer (@ZentopherSkaer) January 23, 2025
We don't expect it to last, but it was great for what it was.
$PEPE making an appearance https://t.co/RfrLfOORFF
— WorldTraveler.eth (@89WorldTraveler) January 24, 2025
The left will never have a mascot as awesome as Pepe, but we're going to start making Keith Olber-monkey jokes at every opportunity.
Tim…I can’t get past the pube hats segment. Can’t BREEEEEATHE!!!! Bahahahaaaa You love to see it 😂😭
— Kathie has all the #Receipts💅ツ✿🇺🇸🐻🧡✝️ (@MustangGirl3) January 23, 2025
HA. And they even come in 'landing strip' designs.
Lol they still cling to Drumpf? They are literally living in another dimension. They don't care about anything that's actually happening in the real world outside moms basement.
— Blondhorsecrazy (@BlondhorsecrZy) January 23, 2025
Triumph showed no mercy to that guy wearing the weird shark hat stuffed with money.
And he was scary. Kash Patel's FBI should probably take a close look at him.
Some comic relief, that's actually funny for a change. Make comedy funny again! Thanks Triumph! https://t.co/5zwnGgih6B
— Mohave Free Press (@MohaveFreePress) January 24, 2025
We're going to give Trump credit for that too, if only because it will probably make Kimmel cry again and Colbert go on another profane rant.
"You're not gonna break any windows at the Capitol, that would require upper body strength." 🤣🤣
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) January 23, 2025
LOL.
This dude needs to lay off the soy and stop speaking for women. pic.twitter.com/rGebd2lvgf
— Polkabecky (@polkabecky) January 23, 2025
Let's not get our hopes up too much. It was a great comedy segment, but most of the people in this crowd are permanently broken.
The daily show did something funny? What is happening in 2025?
— Kyle (@KylePostingOnX) January 23, 2025
Right?
But even SNL aired a funny skit last weekend, absolutely tearing down Rachel Maddow, Chris Hayes, and everyone at MSNBC.
I made the mistake of taking a bite of my lunch right before he said "Keith Olbermonkey". Almost spit food all over the place! https://t.co/rbMWwWonnQ
— YouMightBeALiberal (@might_liberal) January 23, 2025
Sorry to break it to Olbermann, but he just gained a new nickname to go along with 'Urine Tears.'
The whole segment was worth it just for that alone.
We're sure most of The Daily Show's programming will go back to being humorless leftist scolds soon enough, but for one brief, shining moment, Comedy Central made comedy great again.
And all it took was a dog with a cigar who likes to poop on everything.
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