Late-Night Silence: Top Hosts Ignore Biden Cognitive Revelations Amid Mounting Scrutiny

America’s late-night comedians—once fierce defenders of Joe Biden—have grown unusually quiet in the wake of explosive revelations about the President’s cognitive decline, as detailed in the bombshell book Original Sin by CNN’s Jake Tapper and Axios’ Alex Thompson.

Despite dominating headlines and shaking up political discourse, the revelations have gone unmentioned by Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Seth Meyers—three of the most outspoken liberal voices on television. Transcripts from Grabien confirm that none of them have addressed the issue on air.

Their silence is especially striking given their past closeness to Biden. Both Colbert and Kimmel hosted high-profile campaign fundraisers for him in 2024, just months before Biden withdrew from the presidential race following a disastrous debate performance that reignited concerns over his mental fitness.

One moment under renewed scrutiny is a now-viral clip from a star-studded Los Angeles fundraiser, where Biden appeared confused and needed help exiting the stage. Jimmy Kimmel, who emceed the event, dismissed the incident at the time, claiming Biden was merely “listening to people in the front row.” Critics now view Kimmel’s defense as part of a broader media effort to downplay Biden’s visible decline.

The Original Sin revelations have sparked a broader reckoning in the press, with critics accusing major outlets and media figures of participating in a coordinated cover-up. Among the most damning evidence are details from Special Counsel Robert Hur’s investigation into Biden’s handling of classified documents. Hur’s report, released earlier this year, noted Biden’s inability to recall key dates—including when his own son Beau died or when he served as vice president. Hur concluded that Biden was unlikely to be convicted because he would be viewed by jurors as a “sympathetic, well-meaning elderly man with a poor memory.”

That conclusion was widely dismissed by late-night hosts. Colbert, for example, joked that Hur’s report revealed only that “Joe Biden is old.” Meyers mocked Hur’s findings as “gratuitous” and emphasized Hur’s Republican ties, while pivoting repeatedly to Donald Trump’s own cognitive missteps.

In April, when audio of Hur’s interview with Biden was released, critics argued it actually downplayed the extent of Biden’s cognitive issues. Still, neither Colbert nor Meyers expressed concern—choosing instead to challenge Hur’s motives rather than engage with the substance of the findings.

Even when The Wall Street Journal published a detailed account in June 2024 documenting Biden’s mental struggles in private meetings, the late-night hosts brushed it off. “Old man is old” isn’t breaking news, Colbert quipped, while Meyers joked that Biden’s odd statements were no different from Trump’s.

While millions turn to late-night comedy for political insight, the absence of honest commentary on Biden’s health raises questions about the role of entertainers as cultural gatekeepers. In their attempts to shield the President, these hosts may be undermining their own credibility—at a moment when public trust in media is already dangerously low.