Am I the only one bored with late night talk shows?

Discussion in 'Visual Arts' started by DaleClark, Oct 3, 2017.

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  1. marcb

    marcb Senior Member

    Location:
    DC area
    Yes. I can't remember the last time I gave more than a passing glance at a late night talk show. Probably Letterman's last night. And that was largely nostalgic - I gave up on him years before that when he starting morphing into the eccentric, but angry, uncle with FU money.

    Edit: I take it back. I watched Craig Ferguson - the crazy, not so angry, uncle without FU money but said FU nonetheless. Who left first...him or Letterman?
     
  2. rburly

    rburly Sitting comfortably with Item 9

    Location:
    Orlando
    They booted Ferguson out to make way for that British sensation James Corden. Letterman was later.

    If anyone watches Periscope, have you seen/heard Josh Robert Thompson there? He has feelings of anger for Ferguson. Yesterday, "Who got another show and forgot his friends? Who gets asked about the Robot (Geoff) regularly? (laughs sarcastically) I don't know where Ferguson is now. JRT is eeking out a living.
     
  3. PlushFieldHarpy

    PlushFieldHarpy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Indiana
    I saw a clip of Fallon addressing his mother's recent death. It was quite serious and heavy, tears and everything. I think I prefer a time when people kept that sort of thing to a minimum.
     
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  4. YpsiGypsy

    YpsiGypsy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Michigan, USA
    I loved the Colbert Report but Stephen Colbert's CBS late show is beyond lame.
    Jimmy Fallon is to drunk frat boy for me.
    Jimmy Kimmel is plastic.
    Conan O'Brien is a great writer (Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons) but he sucks as a performer.
    David Letterman on his old NBC Late Night was the best.
    I watch Seth Meyers reruns the next morning but only his opening segment. His political comedy is for lack of a better word, comedy, and that's why I think he's the best.
     
  5. hellion

    hellion Forum Resident

    That’s not the case though, Colbert’s ratings are up and Fallon’s are down
     
  6. powerq

    powerq Forum Resident

    I don't watch any of the late shows/hosts. I only tune in at the end if there is a musical performer that I like. October to June I watch hockey. Summer is for binging things I've missed.
     
  7. Morpheus

    Morpheus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Texas
    For the most part yes, and I have been for a long time. I'll sometimes watch the opening monologue, but after that it's just actors selling their latest movie for the most part. There's just no spontaneity anymore on them, it's all scripted out.
     
  8. MLutthans

    MLutthans That's my spaghetti, Chewbacca! Staff

    Letterman will always be "my guy in late night." Used to bust a gut laughing at Craig Ferguson. Liked Tom Snyder. Loved Carson, of course. I like Kimmel okay, but don't care for things like "Tonight we have the cast of _______ with us," when it essentially becomes an infomercial for a movie or TV show. Blech. I can't stand Fallon's show. Colbert's show is hit or miss, as is Seth Myers's show, and Conan's. James Corden's show is the worst thing in late-night currently, IMO.
     
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  9. Holerbot6000

    Holerbot6000 Forum Resident

    Location:
    California
    Colbert is good if he is engaged. If he is not, he can be a little condescending. I'm sure a lot of the celebrities that do these shows are empty vessels and that's got to wear on him after awhile, but if he has someone on that interests him or is an old comedy buddy, he can be quite entertaining. I also think he is probably the best entertainment-based interviewer of political figures on TV right now. He is polite and respectful but he doesn't hesitate to put them on the hot sea when it's appropriate. Fallon can be a funny guy but as an interviewer, he is a complete sycophant. Kimmel is funny when he is being a wise-ass, which seems to be happening less and less. Conan is probably the most inventive when it comes to bits. He and Andy both are very good at the pre-recorded pieces, ad-libbing their way through various situations and that show they did made up of clips recreated by fans was one of the most brilliant things I have ever seen on any talk show ever.
     
  10. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    I have to say that watching the continue downfall of the late night talk shows has been one of the most depressing things to ever take place in the entertainment world. I mean, I grew up watching the great Johnny Carson, who was not afraid to make fun of anybody on his horizon, yet did not do it in a snarky or politically motivated agenda kind of way. I loved Merv Griffin, Mike Douglas and even Jay Leno seemed to work hard on his monologue as he never gave up his one night stands in order to stay frothy.

    I used to really like Jimmy Fallon as he is a talented music guy and really seemed genuinely likable, but now his political humor is as predictable as Colbert's, Kimmel's and the rest of the gang. I used to DVR at least two of the late night shows, but now I just watch mainly only Fallon, but only if he has a decent music guest booked on his show.

    I just wish to God they would mix it up a bit. I could write every punch line before they even get to it and Saturday Night Live has become just as predictable. The show I now really get a kick out of watching is Graham Norton on BBCA, where his lack of an oversized ego like his American counterparts seem to have in triplicate, allows him to bring out all his guests at once so you get true comedic interaction and some spontaneity.

    Gee whiz, I feel like I am starting to sound like an old guy, but I am only 58, so when you grow up watching the best, its hard to watch such mediocrity night after night!
     
  11. Greenalishi

    Greenalishi Birds Aren’t Real

    Location:
    San Francisco
    None of 'em have a stride i can really dig into. Plus age has made me not care so much about the overly scripted celebrity promo interviews.

    I'm kind of disappointed in Colbert. He just seems ... tense? like his tie is too tight. Just not in a groove. Reminds me of Chris Thielley on Prarie Home Companion at first he was to tense and self conscious but now he's found his groove and style. Colbert has had more time but hasn't found it yet, to me.

    All the shows are good. I don't care for James Corden, just his perspective. Kimmel has grown on me. I used to think he just didn't care in a bad way rather than a loose way. He's got a groove now. Fallon is talented and has a thing but i just don't dig him so much. Best band thought, by far. Which most don't care about but i used to make lists on best talk show band.

    Conan i used to love from the beginning. Just his Lettermany on the street things and the skits and writing i loved. His awe shucksness. But, after a while, i guess just aging he's different now. More professional. Just lost me.

    Letterman was my fave. His bite the hand that feeds thing. And his wackey but subversive way. His skits and on the street stuff. Carson is the king though. I watch Dick Cavett everyday on Decades channel. I miss Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley a lot. It's weird I feel personally wounded by Charlie in particular.

    I've been on a Marc Maron listening binge. Just lots too choose from. Interesting. Plus no interuptions. Dick Cavett will have someone amazing like Rose Kennedy or Gloria Swanson on and every few minutes it's an interruption to commercial.
     
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  12. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Repeated mentions of scripted celebrity interviews reminds me that Seth Meyers does not use notes or scripts for his interviews, and regularly has authors, artists, politicians and journalists among his guests.

    Plus "Ya Burnt" and "Jokes Seth Can't Tell" are consistently the funniest recurring comedy bits in late night.

    I do wish he had a better music booker: the music guests are usually terrible. You'd think that a show with a band featuring Marnie Stern and members of Les Savy Fav and Girls v. Boys would have a hipper selection.
     
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  13. Greenalishi

    Greenalishi Birds Aren’t Real

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Conan most of the time had not, to my ears, good music acts. But, i liked he was giving young acts a chance. I guess i should check out Seth Myers. Your description is right up my alley. Conans band was awesome. Loved his band.
     
  14. DaleClark

    DaleClark Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Location:
    Columbus, Ohio
    Is it me or does Jimmy Fallon “fake laugh” too much. Basically, overreacting by leaning back, clapping his hands and covering his mouth.
     
  15. Greenalishi

    Greenalishi Birds Aren’t Real

    Location:
    San Francisco
    Maybe the format has been played out somewhat. Podcasts give a longer, more uninterrupted, actual conversation type of thing. Maybe it's just evolving. Not sure, why, for me, most are hard to watch at all. Maybe it's just my age. But, i like a good interview still. My Dinner With Andre is always one of my fave movies. Nothing like a give and take great conversation.
     
  16. spherical

    spherical Forum Resident

    Location:
    America
    Last full show I ever watched was Letterman. I thought he was brilliant. Now it's a whole 'nother ball game, and I am definitely not a "target" audience. It just seems pretty inane and self-aggrandizing nowadays, or political or mean or not not funny or meaningful. But, really, I'm doing other things rather than watching TV talk shows late at night. If I was younger, maybe I would. (glad i'm not younger).
     
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  17. Blair G.

    Blair G. Senior Member

    Location:
    Delta, BC, Canada
    26 years since he retired (my God, has it really been that long!) and I still miss him greatly.
    Letterman too, to a smaller degree.

    No one now comes even close.

    Fallon can be entertaining but there’s something slightly disingenuous there, and he’s a total ham
    Corden...way too over the top happy. Might be his real personality but it gets annoying quickly.
    Kimmel is OK, but agree with the common perception of smugness
    Colbert? No
    Meyers, OK but bland
    Conan, is he still around?
     
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  18. TonyCzar

    TonyCzar Forum Resident

    Location:
    PhIladelphia, PA
    Letterman (and now Colbert) were the only two late-nite talkers with music acts that I enjoyed learning about. Colbert was like that before taking over for Dave, however. My usual pattern on Colbert is to stop once the monologue and opening comic segments end, then FF to the musical guest unless I already know and dislike them. His musical guests are a regular and reliable pleasure for me.
     
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  19. Chazro

    Chazro Forum Resident

    Location:
    West Palm Bch, Fl.
    Best music acts bar none; the Arsenio Hall show. Currently, the ONLY show like this that I can still watch and enjoy (and often features terrific unkown-to-me music); the Graham Norton Show! One thing he does, not sure if any of the other guys does it since I never watch their shows, is bring out all his guests at once and they hang out for the entire show. Lot more fun and harkens back to the good ol' days when Johnny would have a packed all star couch!
     
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  20. RSteven

    RSteven Forum Resident

    Location:
    Brookings, Oregon
    You are totally correct, sir!
     
  21. SoundAdvice

    SoundAdvice Senior Member

    Location:
    Vancouver
    I'm surprised no shows don't hand over the full show to a single guest. It's done once every year or two, but most couch segments are unfulfilling, even with interesting articulate guests.
     
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  22. davebush

    davebush New Test Leper

    Location:
    Fonthill, ON
    Podcasts have totally tuned me off late night talk shows. I now have zero interest in an 8 minute interview with an actor promoting a movie, interrupted 6 times with audience laughter and/or applause. I want to listen to talented, interesting people talk at length with no audience. Many, many great Marc Maron episodes.
     
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  23. Danby Delight

    Danby Delight Forum Resident

    Location:
    Boston
    Whereas I got super burnt it on hearing him ask "Who were your guys?"
     
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  24. Duke Fame

    Duke Fame Sold out the Enormodome

    Location:
    Tampa, FL
    I wish his show was still on TV. I would watch his show and Louis CK's show. I liked both, but Maron was funny pretty much all the time. Some of the episodes of CK's show were just depressing and sometimes a bit creepy.
     
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  25. goodiesguy

    goodiesguy Confide In Me

    Location:
    New Zealand
    Can't stand James Bloody Corden.

    If I wanna watch a chubby British bloke, all I need is this guy:
    [​IMG]

    I ocasionally watch clips of Conan online, he's pretty funny IMO.
     
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