Politicians appear on late-night TV shows primarily for strategic outreach reasons that have held true for decades, but your question highlights a perceived shift toward "so many" politicians instead of the usual mix heavy on show biz entertainers (actors, musicians, comedians, etc.).
The core reasons politicians go on these shows remain the same as always:
- They reach millions of viewers who aren't hardcore news watchers—often younger, less politically engaged demographics—who tune in for entertainment but absorb policy points and candidate personalities in a low-pressure, humorous format.
- The relaxed vibe lets politicians appear relatable, human, and likable (e.g., through games, anecdotes, or light roasting), which can boost favorability more effectively than stiff news interviews.
- It's free, high-visibility media exposure during campaigns or issue pushes, where candidates can slip in key messages without constant confrontation.
This isn't new: politicians have guested since the genre's early days (JFK on Jack Paar in 1960, Bill Clinton on Arsenio in 1992, Obama doing skits, etc.), and frequency has gradually risen over time as politics and entertainment blurred more.
What might make it feel like "so many" politicians lately (or displacing entertainers) ties into recent dynamics:
- Late-night shows have leaned more political overall since the mid-2010s, especially post-2016, with hosts increasingly using monologues for pointed commentary and booking guests aligned with that tone.
- Studies and guest tallies from 2025 show extreme imbalances: liberal/Democratic politicians and figures vastly outnumbered conservatives/Republicans (e.g., 90-to-1 or higher ratios in some periods, with almost no GOP officials on major shows).
- Entertainers (movies, music promo) remain the bulk of guests, but political segments get more attention/controversy.
The FCC crackdown in 2026 is making some shows hesitant on politicians altogether, potentially shifting back toward safer celeb bookings to avoid regulatory headaches.
Overall, politicians chase these platforms for voter reach and image-softening in an entertainment-politics overlap era.