Stephen Colbert’s show is gone, and there is a lesson for news/talk radio. Colbert’s weakness was not his political or cultural points of view. It was really about a certain smugness that he developed. Our late-night television chat shows were originally designed to entertain hard-working Americans who wanted to unwind from a stressful day.
If you — the talk show host — have become more of a political activist than an entertainer, you are becoming Stephen Colbert. There is a temptation for all people who discuss or cover politics and politicians. That weakness is to become a part of the system. Hanging out with a prominent politician or getting “inside” information, which is little more than propaganda for the politician’s agenda. News/talk hosts feel more influential and connected when they get those scoops.
Stephen Colbert fell deeply into this trap. He became more committed to his agenda and became a tired homily every single night. Is your show becoming a sermon instead of a fun place to visit? I recently watched Colbert, Kimmel, and Fallon. And I found all three shows unwatchable. I so wanted to laugh and be entertained.
Is your show a dinosaur? Stephen Colbert’s show featured the same template and presentation as all of the shows of that genre. Colbert’s uniqueness was being a political activist. That is great, but that is why his ratings were terrible.
It’s frequently reported that all three of the late-night TV offerings had less than one million viewers each. It’s a small pie, and the economics were even worse. Colbert was reportedly making $20 million a year with a staff of 200 people. That is very expensive for a relatively small audience. Network TV does not have the advantage of pay platforms where there is a built-in flow of cash from subscribers.
Don’t Become a Parody
For those who know me, agreement has never been an entry to friendship. I know people I agree with on things who are dumber than a fencepost, and people with whom I disagree who are very smart. I have met great people I disagree with and awful humans I agree with. This is life. Anyone who is or has been married knows that friction is a part of life.
For conservatives — Donald Trump is not always correct. He makes mistakes, because he is a human being. We screw up things. I get it that lots of great people cheer for his success. I agree with that sentiment. We are not perfect.
If you are a news/talk host, your job is to tell the truth from your point of view. You don’t want to be a parody of yourself. Tucker Carlson has made a fool out of himself over the past 18 months. His basic philosophy has changed, and Tucker has painted himself into a corner. We all have the right — and should — change our perspective on things. We need to grow in experiences, knowledge, and observation.
If you have completely changed your view on something, be honest and open about the path that you are going down. Glenn Beck is pretty good at this. Glenn’s basic values have never changed, but his experiences have led to some pivots. Is Glenn a sellout? No, he has evolved and learned. We should all do that.
Are You Being Used?
Stephen Colbert was unable to reach that point in his show — and perhaps his life. I have never met Colbert. He was fantastic on The Daily Show and The Colbert Report. What he developed as a late-night host was something completely different. It was obvious on his earlier work that he was a left-wing guy. It’s allowed — this is America. Colbert’s $20 million-a-year salary obviously went to his head. I have no problem with people making lots of money. In fact, I cheer for success. Colbert was blinded by his personal political ideology.
Let’s be honest. If you are a news/talk host who is starstruck by attending the right parties and hanging out with a prominent politician, you have become — or are turning into — Stephen Colbert. I have been down this road, so I am writing from experience. For the left-wing political class, Stephen Colbert is now old news. Colbert may be asked to be the master of ceremonies at some big event, but it is over. The calls from prominent politicos will go from frequent to a mere trickle.
Politicians are only interested in who can assist in their power grab. This is not a red or blue thing — this is how political leaders operate. Stephen Colbert will learn sooner than later that he is no longer important to the political class.
If you are a news/talk host, look at Stephen Colbert. Don’t look at him through the lens of whether you agree or disagree with his politics. Realize that he was used.
Are you being used by the political class? What about your listeners — are you abusing that relationship? If you were fired tomorrow, would the governor or other political leaders who are kissing your ass be interested in you? I can guarantee that the political class is only looking at reaching your listeners, and if becoming your buddy is the price to pay, they will do it. Colbert became a parody of himself. Don’t be like Stephen.
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Peter Thiele is a weekly news/talk radio columnist for Barrett Media, and an experienced news/talk radio programmer. He currently serves as News/Talk Format Captain for Zimmer Communications. Prior to joining Zimmer, Peter held programming positions in New York City, San Francisco, Des Moines, Little Rock, Greenville, Hunstville, and Joplin. Peter has also worked as a host, account executive and producer in Minneapolis, and San Antonio. He can be found on Twitter at @PeterThiele.
