Why Comedy Central's new 'The President Show' is the Trump parody you need to watch
Well, not really. "The President Show" follows in the Comedy Central tradition of fake talk shows, one it basically created with "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report." The new iteration is hosted by our very own United States president in the form of Trump impersonator Anthony Atamanuik.
Airing for a half-hour on Thursdays at 11:30 p.m., "The President Show" imagines a scenario in which Trump bypasses the media, with whom he has had a contentious relationship (to say the least), and does his own late-night show from the White House Oval Office. Like other late-night shows, this one includes desk segments, field pieces, and guest interviews, as well as its own Vice President Mike Pence (played by Peter Grosz, who's also an executive producer) as Trump's sidekick.
The show's premiere episode on April 27 did gangbusters for Comedy Central. It was watched by about 1 million viewers in its first three days after its debut, the network's highest series premiere debut viewership since its acclaimed comedy "Broad City."
The show's high ratings are well-deserved. It's a fresh take on both late-night shows and Trump satire, which is all the more remarkable given how familiar both of those formats have become. It's honestly one of the most exciting late-night shows in a long time.
Here's why you should watch "The President Show":