Presidential contestants in the Unites States embrace comedy shows

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton has her hair pulled by host Jimmy Fallon (R) during an interview on the Tonight Show in New York in this image released on September 16, 2015.

By day, White House hopefuls make speeches, meet voters and kiss babies. By night, they line up to trade jokes with America’s late-night hosts — an increasingly important stop on the campaign trail.

Late-night talk shows — which are taped in the evening and broadcast just before midnight — are an institution in American television.