When a political assassination coincides with threats to a late-night host’s livelihood, the question inevitably arises: can political comedy keep going as usual?
For the producers of CNN’s Jodi Lennon, who run the American edition of the long-running British panel show, say they are clear about one thing: they are making comedy, not news. That distinction has mattered more in the show’s second year on the air than it did in the first. Now, every week presents them with decisions about what can be joked about, what can’t, and how to strike the right target.
That “chill” has become a defining feature of the current late-night landscape, where the fear of a joke landing badly—and the fallout that could follow—is ever-present.
Biederman acknowledges the risk but argues that the instinct to self-censor is more dangerous. “Dictators hate comedy,” he says, pointing out that humor can puncture an image more effectively than an ind epth policy argument. That, in his view, is what makes satire essential.
Today, in a special conversation with LateNighter’s Bill Carter, the Have I Got News for You showrunners discuss the unique challenges of producing late-night comedy in this moment—and why protecting the joy of their show’s format matters more than ever.
Watch the full interview at the top of this post, or listen on YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
Have I Got News For You airs Saturday nights at 9 p.m. ET/PT on CNN
