This is no laughing matter.
A whopping 94% of the jokes delivered by late-night hosts during the first week of Operation Eric Fury slammed the United States and its allies instead of Iran and other adversaries, according to a troubling new survey by media watchdog group MRC NewsBusters.
The group’s analysts examined 20 episodes of ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert,” Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” and NBC’s “Late Night with Seth Meyers” and “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” from March 2-5 and found 235 of the 250 jokes delivered about the conflict in the Middle East were launched at the U.S., Israel and other Arab nations forced to take defensive action against Iranian attacks.
Iran — whose leaders wish “Death to America,” and call the US “The Great Satan,” only felt the brunt of 15 of the partisan punchlines.
The U.S. took the brunt of the lopsided joke count – with 229, while President Trump was the most joked-about individual with 152.
“And just after midnight, the Pentagon launched what they are calling Operation Epic Fury, which is different from its original title, which was Operation Epsteino Distracto,” lefty funnyman Kimmel quipped.
Colbert also worked disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein into his struggling act: “This military mission has been dubbed Operation Epic Fury… Fun fact, Epic Fury is an anagram for Forget Epstein.”
Meyers goofed on Trump announcing the start of air strikes on Feb. 28, quipping “I’m sorry, but if you’re gonna announce an illegal war that violates the constitution from your private club at 3:00 A.M., can you at least take the hat off first?”
And Fallon mocked Trump’s call to have a say in who Iran’s next supreme leader will be: “Trump was like, ‘We’re gonna do a talent portion. Then a swimsuit portion. Then an evening gown portion.’ Trump wants to help pick the new leader. Iran heard and was like, “I think it’s time for another trip to the MRI machine.”
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth was second with 23, followed by Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) — a former undefeated MMA fighter Trump has tapped to replace Kristi Noem as secretary of Homeland Security – with 14. Congressional Republicans (7), and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina (6) rounded out the top five.
Meyers told the most jokes about the United States (52), and was also the only host to focus all of them on America. Thirty-six of Fallon’s 37 jokes (97%) were about the U.S., while Kimmel wasn’t far behind with 51 of 53 (96 percent) aimed at the U.S.
Colbert told 43 of 48 (90%) about the allied side, while “The Daily Show’s” Jon Stewart and Michael Kosta combined to tell 53 of 60 (88%) about the U.S. and its allies.
The survey results showing late night is more lefty than ever shouldn’t be a surprise.
A staggering 92% of jokes made by Jimmy Kimmel, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers and Daily Show universe targeted the right in 2025, and liberal guests outnumbered conservative ones almost 100 to 1, according to new data shared exclusively with The Post by NewsBusters in December.
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