In the first week of the Iran war, 94 percent of the jokes from the late night comedians about the war targeted the American side. By the third week, that percentage jumped to 97 percent, according to a new Media Research Center study.
NewsBusters analysts examined 19 episodes from Monday, March 16, through Thursday, March 19, including three from CBS’s The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and four each from ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, and NBC’s Late Night with Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. They found that 114 out of 118 jokes related to the war were about the United States. 
Just as in the study, analysts also looked for any jokes about U.S. allies, but this time there were none. An ally was defined as Israel, any other country targeted by Iran since the war began, or another country that has rendered some form of military assistance against Iran. It does not include formal treaty allies who have declined to participate in military operations.
President Trump was once again the most-joked individual with 78. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth remained in second at six. FCC chairman Brenden Carr, conservative talk radio host Mark Levin, the United States generally, White House advisor Stephen Miller, and Vice President JD Vance were all tied for third place at three each.
Here is a sampling of jokes told throughout the week:
- “And here’s another fake headline: Secretary Hegseth visibly agitated, comma, alcohol on breath. Here’s a real one for a patriotic press: Secretary Hegseth named diamond member of TGI Friday’s tequila honors program.” – Stephen Colbert
- “Oh, now he’s against shooting protestors. That’s good. He’s evolving. It’s always his self-awareness that impresses me the most about Donald Trump.” – Jimmy Kimmel
- “How dare Iran and their existential fight inconvenience our commute? And by the way, this whole thing is the R-word, all right. That’s not the R-word I would use for the decision to attack Iran.” – Jon Stewart
- “Networks have to learn you better not lie and give misinformation about how this war is going. That’s Donald Trump’s job.” – Stewart
- “Well, get this, according to a new poll, half of Americans believe Trump attacked Iran to distract from the Epstein files. Trump was like, “Fake news. I attack Venezuela to distract from the Epstein files.” – Jimmy Fallon
- “President Trump also called the war in Iran, ‘A little excursion.’ Okay. Just because you give it a cute name doesn’t make it less bad. That’s like saying O.J. had ‘a case of the Mondays.’” – Meyers
- “Then finally, Trump said, ‘Hopefully it will all be over soon.’ Then Melania said, ‘Hey, that’s my slogan.’” – Fallon
- “Today, squeaker of the house Mike Johnson was asked to clarify. He said, ‘Well, I think his bones are informed by the intelligence.’ Which seems unlikely, seeing as he doesn’t read the intelligence briefings they give him every day. His bones aren’t informed by intelligence. His bones are informed by fried chicken and Boniva, okay?” – Kimmel
- “The Defense Department just put in a request to fund the war for—are you ready—$200 billion. That’s billion with a B. And insane with a D and a J and a T. Trump said this ‘a small price to pay to make sure we stay tippy top.’ That’s right. Our president uses the words ‘tippy top’ to describe our military. But I have an idea. Instead of spending it on weapons to drop on foreign countries, let’s just offer Trump 100 billion of it to go away.” – Kimmel
- “Today, the White House asked Congress to give them $200 billion in additional funding for the war in Iran. Yeah, $200 billion. President Trump heard and was like, ‘Iran must be getting one hell of a ballroom. That’s ballroom money.”’ – Fallon
- “We are now almost three weeks into the war in Iran, and it’s not going great. Oil prices are surging, our planes are getting shot out of the sky, and now Pete Hegseth is asking for an extra $200 billion to fight this war. And they say women be shopping.” – Jordan Klepper
Meyers (26 of 26) once again told 100 percent of his jokes about the U.S. This time, he was joined by both Kimmel (19 of 19) and Fallon (14 of 14). The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart and Jordan Klepper told 36 of 38 (95 percent) about the United States, while Colbert’s tally was 19 of 21 (90 percent).
All four of Colbert and The Daily Show’s Iran jokes were about new Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei. They included jokes about his appearance, intelligence, and rumors he might be gay:
- “New Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, seen here remembering that time he called his teacher ‘Mom.’” – Stephen Colbert
- “According to U.S. intelligence, the elder Khamenei was wary of his son ever taking power because he was perceived as not very bright. In fact, they wanted to place him in a really easy job, as depicted in the Iranian hit film, Mojtaba Blart: Mall Ayatollah.” – Stephen Colbert
- “It does not matter how homophobic the regime is. A good story is a good story. You know, think about it: A closeted leader of a homophobic nation, forced to lead after your father, who never accepted your lifestyle, is suddenly killed, and now you’re burdened with the responsibility to pass laws and uphold traditions that go against your true nature, when all you ever wanted do was just feel that spotlight!” – Daily Show correspondent Troy Iwata during a skit with Jordan Klepper
- “What if he falls in love with an Israeli general, but they can only see each other across the Strait of Hormuz? All of their communication has to be non-verbal.” – Jordan Klepper
Since the war’s first week, the late night comedians’ total number of war-related jokes has declined, but the percentage of those going after the U.S. has increased.
This is not for lack of material. That Iran continues to suffer defeat after defeat, Ayatollah Jr. hasn’t been seen (or heard) since he was named to his new job, and the Islamic theocratic regime itself all provide good comedic material, but for the late-night comedians, they have largedly refused to touch those areas.
