NOTE: Please read to the end before commenting. It’s a sad time for those of us who like to end our day with some laughs and intelligent conversation. As you know, “the powers that be” have pressured TV networks to censor, suspend, or cancel comedians who dare to challenge them.
As I wrote in a column last July, for centuries our presidents have (mostly) rolled with the punches. It comes with the territory. A sense of humor (and an appreciation of the First Amendment) is helpful. When Stephen Colbert replaced David Letterman in 2015, I thought he was a great choice. He immediately confirmed my belief, and only got better. His quick wit, decency, core values, and depth of knowledge are rarely seen among late night hosts.
He’ll do fine, he has a legion of devoted fans. I hope his 200 employees will find other work, they are excellent too. I also hope the beautiful Ed Sullivan Theater will not be the next landmark to be torn down, as others have been.
We are a diverse (and sadly, divided) nation. There’s room for plenty of hosts, with different viewpoints. One current host does not appeal to me, but that’s fine. He has a good audience, and I hope he is allowed to stay on the air (as he has done under previous presidents who disagreed with him, with no threats of cancellation or retaliation). It’s okay to disagree. Remote controls work!
Good luck to Stephen Colbert, and thank you for your humor, your kind spirit, your willingness to share painful memories, your amazing wife, your impeccable taste in music, and your probing conversations that go beyond the usual showbiz chit-chat. It’s sad that we can’t have nice things, but hopefully better days are ahead. . Here’s my column:
https://chattanoogaradiotv.com/general/a-sense-of-humor-doesnt-hurt/
