Greg Gutfeld Crowned King of Late Night as He Crushes Colbert in Ratings War

Late-night television has a new ruler, and his name is Greg Gutfeld. The Fox News firebrand’s show Gutfeld! has dethroned Stephen Colbert, pulling in a staggering 220,000 more viewers than CBS’s The Late Show and dominating the key 25-54 demographic.

This seismic shift in the late-night landscape proves that Fox News’ gamble to enter the comedy battleground wasn’t just bold—it was brilliant.

Gutfeld! Crushes the Competition

On Tuesday night, Gutfeld! drew 2.12 million viewers at 11 PM EST, while Colbert’s once-unbeatable Late Show at 11:35 PM managed just 1.9 million—a significant dip for the five-year ratings champion.

Even more telling, Gutfeld’s show dominated the all-important 25-54 age demographic, pulling in 434,000 viewers compared to Colbert’s 423,000.

Here’s how the late-night rankings stacked up on Gutfeld’s historic night:

🔹 Gutfeld! – 2.12 million viewers
🔹 The Late Show with Stephen Colbert – 1.9 million viewers
🔹 The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon – 1.22 million viewers
🔹 The Eleventh Hour with Brian Williams – 1.12 million viewers
🔹 Don Lemon Tonight – 570,000 viewers

Gutfeld’s Rise: A Conservative Comedy Revolution?

Gutfeld, a longtime Fox News personality, had no hesitation in mocking his late-night rivals, calling them interchangeable, “as bland as string cheese and not nearly as appetizing.”

“It’s the same jokes, the same assumptions, probably the same writers, all reading the same columns from the same hacks in the New York Times.”

His unapologetic, no-holds-barred approach to comedy has clearly resonated with audiences tired of the left-leaning echo chamber of late-night television.

Tuesday’s Gutfeld! episode featured an A-list conservative lineup, including:

✅ Former Navy SEAL Rob O’Neill
✅ Townhall.com political editor Guy Benson
✅ Fox News contributor Kat Timpf
✅ Washington Times opinion editor Charlie Hurd

Gutfeld wasted no time taking aim at global headlines, roasting the Taliban’s so-called “kinder, gentler” approach to governance:

“They aren’t an enlightened bunch. Not only are they stuck in the dark ages, they prefer everyone else join them there. Their idea of women’s rights is letting her air out her burka once a year.”

He then delivered his signature gut-punch joke:

“We’ve been told by the press this is a ‘kinder, gentler’ Taliban. What does that mean? They only partially behead you? They only throw gays out of an eight-story window, not a twelve-story one?”

Gutfeld’s no-filter approach to comedy is clearly striking a chord with viewers fed up with predictable, sanitized liberal humor.

Colbert Knocked Off His Throne

For five consecutive seasons, Stephen Colbert reigned as the king of late night, capitalizing on anti-Trump sentiment to dominate ratings. But now, with Gutfeld! taking the top spot, it’s clear that America is hungry for a different brand of comedy—one that isn’t afraid to punch back.

Colbert’s Tuesday episode, featuring actress Amanda Peet, podcaster Roger Bennett, and CNN’s Clarissa Ward, followed a more familiar script. His opening monologue touched on Kabul airport evacuations, quipping:

“When they’re done there, maybe we can get them to restore order at our airports—because there’s a guy here, duct-taped to his seat in coach, screaming about how masks are contaminating his sperm.”

The joke landed with his usual audience, but failed to outshine Gutfeld’s politically charged and unapologetically savage humor.

The Future of Late Night: A New Era Begins

With Gutfeld! dominating the ratings, the late-night comedy landscape is experiencing a paradigm shift. No longer do liberal hosts hold a monopoly on late-night humor—conservative comedy has arrived, and it’s here to stay.

The message is clear: America is watching, and they’re choosing Greg Gutfeld.