The Best Late-Night Campaign Coverage of 2016

Will Lerner
·Producer, Yahoo Entertainment

To say the campaign season was contentious would be putting it mildly. Fortunately, we had our vigilant late-night television hosts to help us get through it by making us laugh. Let’s look back now at the “Top 5 2016 Election Moments from Late-Night TV.”

5. Seth Meyers take a ‘Closer Look’ at the first presidential debate

Late Night host Seth Meyers (Photo: NBC)
Late Night host Seth Meyers. (Photo: NBC)

“A Closer Look” has become a staple of Late Night With Seth Meyers, and he aired this segment after the first presidential debate between Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. While Meyers has been a vocal critic of Trump, he did make fun of Clinton as well.

4. The Daily Show hits the road to interview Trump supporters

Jordan Klepper of the The Daily Show interviews a supporter of Donald Trump. (Photo: Comedy Central)
Jordan Klepper of the the Daily Show interviews a supporter of Donald Trump. (Photo: Comedy Central)

The Daily Show hasn’t been the same since Jon Stewart gave way to Trevor Noah, but the show did have some great moments throughout the year, especially when it hit the road to cover campaign rallies. In this memorable piece, correspondent Jordan Klepper noticed some contradictions from a Trump supporter.

3. Samantha Bee grabs Trump

Full Frontal host Samantha Bee (Photo: TBS)
Full Frontal host Samantha Bee. (Photo: TBS)

One could make an easy case for Samantha Bee being the best host in late-night TV. After audio leaked of Donald Trump bragging about sexual assault to then-Access Hollywood host Billy Bush, she used her searing humor to take on Trump.

2. John Oliver makes America Drumpf again

John Oliver of Last Week Tonight. (Photo: HBO)
John Oliver of Last Week Tonight. (Photo: HBO)

John Oliver became essential almost immediately upon starting Last Week Tonight on HBO in 2014, but this might be his most memorable and far-reaching segment yet. Oliver tried to ignore Trump’s ascent, but after he won three primaries, the former Daily Show correspondent went full steam ahead.

1. Jon Stewart returns to the fray on Colbert

Jon Stewart on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert (Photo: CBS)
Jon Stewart, right, on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert. (Photo: CBS)

And finally, our favorite moment of the year. The absence of Jon Stewart this campaign season was felt deeply by his fans. Fortunately, his former Comedy Central colleague and current Late Show host, Stephen Colbert, gave way to Stewart for a Daily Show-esque segment that proved he’s still got it.

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