‘Gutfeld!’ Celebrates Two-Year Anniversary with New Book, Ratings Victories
Late-night rebel proves diversity of thought can make all the difference
Late-night TV changed forever on April 5, 2021.
Greg Gutfeld brought the free spirit he summoned on Fox News’ “Red Eye” to the format, shaking up the game in the process.
It didn’t take long for the right-leaning “Gutfeld!” to make inroads in the ratings wars. Months after its debut, the Fox News showcase threatened Stephen Colbert’s “The Late Show” for the ratings’ crown.
Soon, “Gutfeld!” toppled them all.
Gutfeld will mark his late-night supremacy with a new tour and book coming this summer. “The King of Late Night” (July 25) looks back at the show’s early days and how it leapfrogged over iconic programs like “The Tonight Show.”
Gutfeld! Marks Anniversary With Double Digit Ratings Gains As Host Declares Himself ‘King of Late Night’ With New Book https://t.co/G67IVzohlR
— Zachary Leeman (@WritingLeeman) April 6, 2023
The tour will touch down in Atlanta (June 17), Clearwater, Fla. (July 15), Fort Meyers, Fla. (July 16), Providence, R.I. (July 29) and Reading, Pa. (Sept. 16).
Gutfeld’s arrival did more than give liberal politicians fits. It coincided with several key players leaving the field.
TBS finally cut Samantha Bee loose, for example. The network apparently couldn’t stand how “Full Frontal with Samantha Bee” earned horrific ratings week in, week out.
“Desus & Mero,” the upstart Showtime hit, disintegrated as the hosts’ off-screen squabbling shut the good times down.
James Corden announced he’ll be leaving his “Late Late Show” perch, with CBS mulling a game show reboot as its replacement.
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The biggest change came with the show that altered the face of late night before Gutfeld’s ascension. Trevor Noah announced he was ending his low-rated run as “The Daily Show” host, and the rotating lineup of guest hosts hasn’t reversed that ratings slide.
Today, “Gutfeld!” runs neck-and-neck with Stephen Colbert’s far-Left “Late Show” for late-night bragging rights.
Team Gutfeld does more than that, though.
Late Night TV Rankings Mar 20-26
1⃣@GutfeldFox! @GregGutfeld
2⃣@JimmyKimmel
3⃣@JimmyFallon
4⃣@StephenAtHome
5⃣@SRuhle
6⃣@FoxNewsNight @TraceGallagher
7⃣@BillMaher
8⃣@Nightline
9⃣@SethMeyers
🔟@JKCorden
#11 @TheDailyShow @AlFranken
#12 @TheLauraCoates
#13 @SchmittNYC
#14… pic.twitter.com/Yd96tIqYX0— RoadMN 📈 (@RoadMN) March 28, 2023
“Gutfeld!” provides free-thinking comedians a place to pitch their product, hone their media chops and broaden their already considerable followings. Think:
- Jimmy Failla
- Michael Loftus
- Joe DeVito
- Tom Shillue
- Jim Norton
- Jamie Lissow
- Joe Machi
- Nick DiPaolo
Plus, the show allows apolitical folks who defy corporate narratives, like Dr. Drew Pinsky, a place to opine.
The most amazing part of the “Gutfeld!” emergence? No other platform has attempted to duplicate the show’s right-leaning worldview.
Gutfeld’s talents are a key part of the show’s success, but so is his willingness to mock Democrats and progressive overreach. Yet we haven’t seen a like-minded competitor on Netflix, Hulu or any existing cable or broadcast platform.
TV executives would rather leave cash on the table than appeal to middle America.
Gutfeld has the field to himself, a reason he’ll stay the “King of Late Night” for the foreseeable future.
I love the show. I tuned in when it first started up. I don’t watch every night but at the very least will watch the opener they post on YouTube each evening. His monologues are solid and thoughtful. And some nights with the right mix of guests he makes comedy gold.
The nights he takes off generally tend to be poor. His two sidekicks don’t have the chops to work as alternate hosts. Though Jimmy Failla shines when he takes the center chair. They should consider him for his own late night show.
It’s amazing that the corporate run entertainment machine would rather lose money then consider doing conservative leaning content. It really is telling how much the left hates conservatives.
Still, I miss “Red-Eye”.
I can’t believe it took Fox as long as it did to give him his own daily show. Anyone with half a brain can see that the dude is absolutely hilarious, and conservatives have been screaming for at least a decade now for their own nightly comedy show now that all the others have told them to go pound sand.
Viva Gutfeld!
Don’t be surprised if GutFeld! becomes the last late-night talk show left.