For some of Mr. Colbert’s fans on the left, his uncritical joking about Sabra-brand hummus seemed like evidence of his shift from an edgy, politically engaged comedian — who once mocked President George W. Bush to his face — into a figure of the mainstream entertainment industry. That transformation was perhaps underscored by the fact that his first show featured a friendly interview with Jeb Bush, the former president’s brother. Emily Nussbaum, The New Yorker’s television critic, described the interview as “aggressively collegial, a kick in the shins to anyone who worried that Colbert would be some liberal muckraker.”

Given that Mr. Colbert seemed so eager to broaden his appeal for a network audience, after years of playing a satirical version of a conservative pundit for basic cable viewers who skewed left, any fans who expected him to champion a boycott of Israel — a country that enjoys nearly unanimous support from Republicans — were always likely to be disappointed.