It was the tousle heard around the world. Weeks before he would stunningly defeat Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential Election, then-candidate Donald Trump was a guest on The Tonight Show. Even amid Trump's many humiliating scandals, Fallon kept the conversation light. The giggling host attempted to humanize this man, he largely ignored the issues, and in the end, tousled his hair.

That's the moment many critics and fans mark as the downfall for Fallon's regularly harmless show. Colbert's Late Show has now beaten The Tonight Show for nine consecutive weeks in the ratings, thanks in large part to the pointed anti-Trump angle of the CBS late-night program. But Colbert, in an interview with theNew York Times, has a different opinion:

"The theory that that hair tousle made a difference is based on the supposition that Jimmy's fans went to him for political acumen," Mr. Colbert said. "I don't think so. They go there for fun. They go there for his nature, his spirit."

Which is likely true. Fallon has never been known as a political guy or a host of a political show. But that in itself gave Colbert the space to succeed. As is outlined in the Times article, by fully embracing the anti-Trump angle and by becoming more comfortable as a host (while relinquishing some other responsibilities to a new executive producer, Chris Licht), he's effectively reversed troubling ratings. "I'm so much more comfortable on my feet now," Colbert told the Times. "I'm a quicker and better writer. I am more comfortable being myself in front of an audience. I like this new relationship with the audience."

It's a stunning transformation, and late-night TV is better for it.

Matt Miller Culture Editor Matt is the Culture Editor at Esquire where he covers music, movies, books, and TV—with an emphasis on all things Star Wars, Marvel, and Game of Thrones.

This content is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page to help users provide their email addresses. You may be able to find more information about this and similar content at piano.io