In July, former "Late Night" host Jay Leno reflected on his time on television as well as what caused late-night's cataclysmic decline. Leno attributed the poor ratings to a lack of "political balance" on the shows, saying his willingness to take shots at Republicans and Democrats broadened his audience. He also noted today's hosts have to be "content with half the audience because you have to give your opinion."
Today, Leno joined radio host Tim Conway Jr. to discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk at the kickoff of "The American Comeback Tour" in Orem, Utah.
Leno called Kirk's assassination "the death of free speech."
Jay Leno on with Tim Conway Jr. Show on @KFIAM640 says the assassination of Charlie Kirk “it’s the death of free speech”. pic.twitter.com/7hCmVm1ygt
— Tim Conway Jr Show (@ConwayShow) September 11, 2025
Leno said, "It's not a random shooting. I mean, it's the death of free speech. To think that you are so illiterate and so stupid, you can't answer verbally and you have to shoot somebody with a gun to quote win the argument."
Earlier, Townhall reported the Bureau for Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) found a weapon and cartridges near the scene of the shooting and that those cartridges had "engraved wording on them, expressing transgender and anti-fascist ideology."
There have also been heinous reactions from the Left, with many blaming Charlie Kirk's political views -- views shared by tens of millions of Americans -- and President Trump's "rhetoric" for yesterday's shooting, in a clear attempt to intimidate and stifle conservative speech in the public sphere.