Fox News’ Gutfeld! has reaffirmed its status as a leader in late-night television, showcasing that traditional TV viewers may not align with online trends. In October, the show hosted by Greg Gutfeld drew an impressive average of 2.825 million nightly viewers, far surpassing competitors such as ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live! and CBS’ The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, both of which garnered around 2.1 million viewers, and NBC’s The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, which trailed with 1.2 million.
This trend highlights Gutfeld!’s dominance as the top-rated program in late-night television—a remarkable achievement for a show airing on a cable news network instead of mainstream broadcast channels. Gutfeld’s successful blend of political satire, panel dialogues, and incisive monologues resonates with Fox News’ core audience and increasingly appeals to viewers who feel marginalized by the predominant late-night comedy landscape.
The recent dynamics in late-night television have seen much of the genre defined by political clashes rather than pure comedy. Hosts like Colbert and Kimmel often attract headlines for their commentary on President Donald Trump and other conservative figures, turning their exchanges into discussions about free speech and political humor. Despite this attention, Gutfeld’s rising ratings indicate a notable preference for the Fox News format among viewers.
This divergence reveals an intriguing landscape in late-night television. While Kimmel, Colbert, Fallon, Jon Stewart, and Seth Meyers have a significant social media presence, with their monologues receiving millions of views shortly after airing, Gutfeld! maintains a loyal traditional TV audience that turns out nightly. The distinction may stem from the different platforms these hosts represent; Fox News consistently ranks among the highest in cable viewership, and Gutfeld! leverages the audience built from preceding programs like Hannity and The Ingraham Angle.
Conversely, broadcast network hosts are increasingly reliant on streaming and online clips to engage viewers, as many fans prefer specific highlights rather than watching full episodes live. This shift complicates direct ratings comparisons, yet the numbers clearly illustrate where the largest, consistent audiences in late-night television can be found.
As the late-night landscape continues to evolve, Gutfeld!’s triumph signifies a persistent demand for politically charged comedy that resonates with right-leaning viewers, despite the overarching cultural conversation shifting leftward. While other late-night shows chase virality and online buzz, Greg Gutfeld seems focused on securing traditional ratings through a more conventional approach, demonstrating that enthusiasm for his unique brand of humor remains robust.