President Barack Obama, the joke’s on you.
A study of gags by late-night comics during the first half of the year found an abrupt change from 2012. Now Obama and Democrats are providing the lion’s share of punchlines.
Obama was the target of 288 monologue jokes made by Jay Leno, David Letterman, Jimmy Fallon, Craig Ferguson and Jimmy Kimmel, according to an analysis released Monday by the Center for Media and Public Affairs at George Mason University.
The next most joked-about individual was New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Anthony Weiner, at 120. His numbers are likely to jump fast, since the study period was before the second round of Weiner’s sexting scandal.
In 2012, Mitt Romney was the butt of more than twice as many jokes as Obama, and Republicans were similarly the target of more than double the jokes that were made on Democrats.
The findings don’t illustrate any political change of heart among late-night comics, said Robert Lichter, the center’s president. The jokes follow the news, and with Republicans receding after an election campaign, Obama presented more opportunities, he said.
“They’re going after the most visible and powerful people that they can,” Lichter said.
Read more: foxnews.com
