The current state of late night talk television...

Actually took me a moment to get that! I'm like "Oh, duh, it's a down under joke!"

 

I do not understand why CBS does not put Corden on at Lettermen's old time slot while they wait for Colbert to arrive. Show the repeats after his show. It does not seem like they are doing him any favors. Try to get people to watch his show at the earlier time slot. The way they are doing it seems like a recipe for cancellation.

 

Sorry, have to throw a penalty flag on this statement. Fallon is obviously not everyone's cup of tea, but to be honest most of us on this forum aren't the demographic his show is shooting for anyway. For what advertisers and the network want, he is preforming beyond all expectations. He has had tremendous growth in his audience above what Leno was bringing in. On many nights his numbers have been higher than Jimmy Kimmel and David Letterman combined! That is unheard of since Carson. It really doesn't matter what we say or think, Fallon's Tonight Show is a success story on every measurable level that the folks who hold the purse strings care about, right demographic, biggest number of viewers, and most viral.

 

Late-Night Results for the May 2015 Sweep and Week 35:

·“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and “Late Night with Seth Meyers” have delivered #1 finishes for the May 2015 Sweep in adults 18-49.

·Fallon outrated CBS’s “Late Show with David Letterman” and ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” for the sweep in all key demographics – adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.

·At 12:35 a.m. ET, “Late Night with Seth Meyers” topped CBS’s “Late Late Show with James Corden” for the sweep in adults, men and women 18-49; adults and women 18-34; and adults and women 25-54, while tying in men 18-34.

·In his head-to-head half-hour versus ABC’s “Nightline” from 12:30-1 a.m. ET, Meyers prevailed in the May sweep in all key demographics -- adults, men and women 18-34, 18-49 and 25-54.

 

I know a few people who work on Fallon, and I have zero secrets to share from them, BUT....

I'm definitely getting sick of the show.

The monologues are not funny - the desk bits are rarely funny - the skits with guests are rarely funny -- and now they're going to have at least a year of politicians on I'm much more dissatisfied. Nothing more sickening than watch Jimmy and Jeb Bush yukking it up while Jimmy basically gives free political advertising time to him. I think The Tonight Show just drop all political guests during election seasons and stick to monologue jokes about them.

The show is free to watch, and my Tivo has a 2TB drive AND I love The Roots to death, so it stays for now.

Seth Meyer's show isn't great, but you can tell he wants the monologue and desk pieces to work and he puts effort into them.

 

I haven't watched late night talk shows since...goodness, let me think...early 1990s? I frequently watch interviews from these shows on youtube and Hulu but I never watch the monologues or the full broadcast. From the clips I've watched I think Craig Ferguson was my favorite.

 

To be honest, I'm kind of saddened that Arsenio Hall's show was dropped again at the last minute when they said he got a renewal (announced on stage by Jay Leno no less.)

Late night is a landmine. James Corden's show was ok for all of five shows. He has the same problems, bad guests, boring chit-chat. He also has Reggie Watts--and the less said about the better?

The Tonight Show has really gotten boring. It's very safe--and not funny. I saw Kristen Wiig lay a big egg in a recent appearance--awful. The only thing I've seen on there recently ok was Jamie Foxx's impersonations--now that was hilarious. As for lip mesh-ups, puerile games--it's all very, very stupid.

I don't like Jimmy Kimmel, he looks like a prick--nothing reminiscent to Letterman in terms of intelligence or entertainment...

 

I recently re-visited Carson on YouTube. I've owned a best-of boxset forever. I can never see myself re-watching ANY other late night show, let alone be as entertained doing so. I started watching Letterman on YouTube (very good, but honestly, not AS good as Carson) which led to watching a pile of Carson clips. There was such a naturalness of style, fearlessness, and a feeling that regardless of the magnitude of the guest, Johnny was a peer, an equal. Most noticeable is the lack of 'shilling/selling' from the majority of the clips. None of the current hosts have what Carson had. I'm very hard pressed to think of a single entertainer that could do a Carson-level late show. Seinfeld? Hanks? Rivers?

 

Carson had guests on just to have them. Most of the time they weren't shilling a movie. With the currently environment of TV, no host would be allowed to have guests on unless they are pushing a product.

 

I think you overestimate the talent of Melissa Rivers.

 

There you go. Today's hosts exist solely to move product. Carson and Letterman would interview everyday people with fascinating hobbies and stories to tell (potato chip lady, anybody? Art Donovan?). Leno and his ilk interview people on the street but those bits exist to mock and humiliate. It's all snark and cynicism. Really glad I grew up in the 70's...so grateful I got to see those old school hosts (including Merv, Mike and Steve Allen) have a good time but also be genuinely interested in their guests as human beings.

 

I really, really miss Craig Ferguson. No are late night for me.

 

I'm not sure Last Week Tonight qualifies as a late night talk show, but it is doing the best investigative journalism on TV right now, and it also happens to be funny. I never thought we'd get to the point where Conan would be considered part of the "old guard" of late night hosts, but there it is. And he still does the best remote bits.

 

Amen! Conan rules, and should be the host.

 

Of the chat shows that are still on air, for me at least, The Graham Norton Show is far and away the best.

 

I have never seen Conan be the least bit funny.

 

The fact that Fallon had better ratings during Letterman's final 6 week run tells you all you need to know about the crowd that is staying up to watch late night. What a waste land.
Not sure if it has been discussed before, but at the 11th hour, Craig Ferguson tried to sell an early evening, 1/2 hour version of his show to Tribune Broadcasting (same company who syndicate his game show). The idea was ultimately nixed. How were they going to fit Craig, Geoff, and Secretariat in 30 minutes? Would it really compete against shows like Extra? Tribue wasn't willing to take the gamble. I sincerely hope when Craig and Tribune take a long look at what's out there now they reconsider.
Corden may be the worst of the lot, but I actually feel for the guy. It's like CBS want him to fail. Which is why I really wonder how Colbert will fare...
Did I mention I've been waking up bright eyed and bushytaled now that I go to bed between 9 and 10!!!

 

Colbert most likely will fail, at some point.
Yes, Jimmy Fallons I fall into his demographic .
I am getting tired of him his letter bits boring .............................
He's too much hooked on 80's pop culture I grew up then
It's not better the second time especially when he lampoons it.
He comes off as a manchild with his bits. That Sting, no.
Barber Shop Quartet of Roxanne . I had enough.
I think it will get worse and most people will find something else too
watch or go to bed. The Late Talk Show ended with Lettermen.
Even you could tell he was bored the lat few years.
He had something in his prime. Which sadly nobody has .
The whole concept of late talk show is 50 plus years old.
What else can the do with it. ?

 

With 250 cable channels and so many people streaming, I think Dave's farewell was actually the Late Night Talk Show's eulogy.

 

I'm with you. Quick Pitch on the MLB channel is my late night viewing.

 

Another good point. The number one reason for people NOT cutting the cord and keeping cable or dish, is sports. One of the four major sports leagues is in season year round. I think July is the only month that there is only one of them (MLB) with actual game play. My point? There is a significant chunk of people up at 11:30 either watching a game or watching a highlight show. They probably knew who Dave and Jay were but didn't watch anyway and will never tune into the new guys...