For the past two years, Fox News has pushed a powerful narrative: Greg Gutfeld, the irreverent Fox personality, has conquered late night. Chyrons and headlines across the network hail him as the man who dethroned Colbert, Fallon, and Kimmel. Depending on which clip you’ve seen, you might even believe Gutfeld! is the most dominant force in comedy today.

It’s a neat story. It flatters Fox, excites loyal viewers, and fuels the culture wars that have long defined the network’s identity. But peel back the marketing, and the reality looks very different. Greg Gutfeld may be winning in ratings—but not in the league he claims to rule.

The Fallon Appearance That Sparked Debate
The illusion came roaring back into public conversation when Greg Gutfeld appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. For some, it was bizarre to see Fallon hosting a Fox firebrand without pushback. For others, it was surreal: why was Fallon giving airtime to the man who claims to have surpassed him in late night?

Media coverage framed the meeting as a clash of equals, painting Gutfeld as part of the same late-night universe as Fallon, Colbert, and Kimmel. But the comparison is misleading. In truth, they aren’t even competing in the same arena.

What Counts as “Late Night”?
In the television business, “late night” isn’t just a mood or a format—it’s a time slot. According to Nielsen, prime time runs until 11 p.m. Eastern. Only after that does late night officially begin.

By that standard, Gutfeld! doesn’t qualify. Since 2023, the show has aired at 10 p.m. Eastern (7 p.m. Pacific), a prime-time slot that delivers far larger audiences. While Fallon and Colbert compete in the leaner, post-prime hours, Gutfeld benefits from peak viewership. Comparing the two is like comparing apples to midnight pears.

The Numbers Game
This doesn’t mean Gutfeld’s success is fake. On the contrary, his ratings are real—and impressive. In the second quarter of 2025, Gutfeld! averaged roughly 3 million viewers, often doubling or tripling CNN’s shows and outpacing almost everything on MSNBC except The Rachel Maddow Show. On certain nights, he even managed to beat Hannity, a rare feat on Fox.

But context matters. His audience often exceeds Colbert or Fallon not because he’s “winning” the late-night wars, but because he’s surfing a prime-time wave that those hosts never touch. On the West Coast, where his show airs at 7 p.m., he benefits from audiences still at dinner or winding down with family. Fallon, meanwhile, airs long after most viewers have gone to bed.

Nobody compares NBC’s Dateline at 10 p.m. to Fallon. Nobody pits Today against NBC Nightly News. Different hours mean different stakes—and pretending otherwise misleads viewers.

The Ghost of Red Eye
Part of the confusion stems from Gutfeld’s earlier projects. Years ago, when he hosted Red Eye at 3 a.m., he was legitimately in the late-night bracket, albeit in the dead zone of television. Later, The Greg Gutfeld Show aired at 11 p.m. on Saturdays, placing him within reach of the genre.

So when Fox rebranded his program as Gutfeld! in 2021, the late-night comparison seemed plausible. For two years, he really was the underdog scrapper competing in the same slot as the big names. But after Fox shifted him to 10 p.m. in 2023, the illusion should have ended. Instead, Fox doubled down.

Why the Illusion Persists
Why cling to the late-night crown? Politics. Declaring Gutfeld the “king of late night” gives Fox a symbolic victory in the culture wars, portraying conservative comedy as triumphant over liberal dominance.

It’s also a branding bonanza. Networks love to tout their programs as “#1,” but Fox has turned exaggeration into an art form. By presenting Gutfeld as a late-night conqueror, the network gives him—and itself—a narrative edge. Gutfeld plays along eagerly, reveling in his outlaw persona.

A Prime-Time Player in Late-Night Costume
Strip away the marketing spin, and Gutfeld is not a late-night host. He’s a prime-time performer who thrives in a coveted slot, competing against cable dramas, true-crime mysteries, and rival news commentary.

This isn’t to diminish his accomplishments. He has a loyal fan base, enviable numbers, and a format that lets him riff on culture and politics with little filter. He doesn’t need the “late-night” crown to prove his relevance.

The Media’s Complicity
Still, the illusion endures partly because mainstream outlets keep repeating it. Each time they frame Gutfeld as a late-night competitor, they reinforce Fox’s branding. Whether out of laziness, ignorance, or the lure of click-worthy headlines, the press plays along with a narrative that distorts how television is measured.

The Bottom Line
Greg Gutfeld’s show is a hit, but not in the way Fox wants you to believe. He isn’t outpacing Colbert and Fallon in their own field—he’s thriving in prime time, a completely different arena with different rules.

Fox may enjoy the myth, and Gutfeld may relish the role of outsider-turned-king, but the truth is clear: his throne is built on a prime-time stage. The real question is how long the media—and viewers—will keep pretending otherwise.