Late-Night in Washington
This book traces the trajectory of late-night political humor, which has long been a staple of entertainment television and is now a prominent part of social media political discourse, especially when it comes to the presidency. From Richard Nixon on Laugh-In to Donald Trump’s avatar on Saturday Night Live, this book takes the next step and considers how late-night comedy treats Joe Biden, the new American president who strives to restore a civil public tone but offers far less comedy fodder than his predecessor. Employing content analysis, public opinion surveys, and a variety of other quantitative and qualitative research, the authors look beyond the day-to-day memes and mimes of late-night comics and show how political humor may evolve. For students and scholars of politics and the media, this book will appeal to the general public and political pundits as well.
Stephen J. Farnsworth is Professor of Political Science at the University of Mary Washington, where he directs the university’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies.
S. Robert Lichter is Professor of Communication at George Mason University, where he directs the Center for Media and Public Affairs.
Farah Latif is a fellow at the Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA) and an instructor at George Mason University whose research has included political gaslighting and developing a personal reputation scale.