Latest news with #LateNightWith
Los Angeles Times
21 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Is late night dead? Stephen Colbert's CBS cancellation raises troubling questions
The shocking cancellation of 'The Late Show With Stephen Colbert' is a sign that time is running out for one of TV's most beloved formats. The late-night talk show was invented in the 1950s as a way for networks to own their own programming rather than have it provided by sponsors. Now, amid shrinking audiences and a politically turbulent climate for free speech, the familiar desk-and-sofa tableau is in serious trouble. CBS announced Thursday that the upcoming 2025-26 TV season for 'The Late Show' will be its last. Executives blamed the cancellation on financial concerns felt across all network late-night shows. Last year, NBC cut 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' to four nights a week while 'Late Night With Seth Meyers' cut its live band. Still, industry veterans were bewildered by the timing. It's hard to imagine Paramount Global executives did not anticipate blowback from announcing the move days after Colbert blasted the company's $16-million settlement with President Trump over CBS News' '60 Minutes' interview with Kamala Harris. Colbert described the deal as a bribe during his Monday monologue. Every move the company makes is now under a microscope as it tries to get the Federal Communications Commission, led by Trump acolyte Brendan Carr, to approve an $8-billion merger with Skydance Media. Canceling the most watched late-night program hosted by one of Trump's harshest critics will draw even more scrutiny. Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), weighed in on X shortly after taping an interview on Colbert's program. 'If Paramount and CBS ended the Late Show for political reasons, the public deserves to know. And deserves better,' Schiff posted. The Writers Guild of America also raised questions, saying the cancellation appeared to be a case of 'sacrificing free speech to curry favor with the Trump Administration.' One factor contradicting the theory is that Colbert, who has another year on his contract, will remain on the air through May. His commentaries have never been restrained by network executives over his 10-year run and that situation is not expected to change in his final season. The poor optics may be a matter of contractual timing. Paramount Global had to complete the deals with writer-producer teams in July for the upcoming 'Late Show' season, according to a person familiar with the discussions who was not authorized to comment. Those deals typically run for a full year, but with the company's intention to cancel the program — decided several months ago — the contracts being offered only ran through May, which tipped off the network's plans. When Colbert learned of the cancellation decision on Wednesday, he made the call to inform his staff and his audience the next day. 'Late Show' is said to be losing somewhere in the tens of millions of dollars a year as younger viewers have fled. Since 2022, the program has lost 20% of its audience in the advertiser-coveted 18-to-49 age group, according to Nielsen data. Ad revenue for 'Late Show' in 2024 was $57.7 million, according to down from $75.7 million in 2022. 'The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon' on NBC and 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!' on ABC have also seen significant declines over that period. CBS has already given up on one hour of late night due to financial pressure. Two years ago, it canceled its 12:35 a.m. 'Late Late Show' program hosted by James Corden because it was losing money. CBS came up with a lower-cost replacement with 'After Midnight,' but that ended after two seasons as its host Taylor Tomlinson decided not to renew her deal. CBS is replacing it with a syndicated program, 'Comics Unleashed,' from Byron Allen's Entertainment Partners in an arrangement that will cost the network nothing. Still, Paramount Global will find itself facing questions about why CBS did not seek ways to reduce the production costs of the program instead of just pulling the plug. If CBS decides to continue programming the 11:30 p.m. slot, it will hard-pressed to approach the same audience levels that Colbert attracted. CBS is giving up a popular culture touchstone, although in the current fragmented media landscape, the days of such hosts having massive sway over a large audience have passed. Media analyst Rich Greenfield wrote that legacy media companies investing in expensive original programming outside of sports and news may be ill-advised as viewers continue to flock to streaming. 'Ending 'The Late Show' is the tip of the iceberg with massive programming and personnel cuts to come,' he said. For decades, late-night TV served as the brand identity of the broadcast networks. Jack Paar was the witty conversationalist that made Middle America feel like it was invited to a sophisticated Manhattan cocktail party. His successor, Johnny Carson, became a trendsetter in the 1960s, defining male coolness. He had his own clothing line. His dry monologue was often a gauge of the country's political mood. An invitation to take a seat next to Carson after a stand-up set turbocharged the careers of many top comedians. CBS was unable to compete with Carson for decades, trying and failing with the likes of Merv Griffin and Pat Sajak. When David Letterman became available after he was bypassed for the 'Tonight' job at NBC, he came to CBS in 1993 and made the network a serious contender. Letterman's offbeat, sardonic brand of humor also gave a layer of hipness to CBS, which had long had a reputation for stodginess. 'Late Show With David Letterman' helped make late-night network TV a financial bonanza. While the proliferation of cable networks was cutting into audience share in the 1990s and early 2000s, the late-night habit still thrived, especially with its ability to reach young men, the most elusive demographic for TV advertisers. As a result, late-night hosts became the highest-paid stars in the business. Letterman and Jay Leno were both earning in the neighborhood of $30 million a year until networks started trimming salaries 10 years ago. But technology chipped away at the late-night talk show habit. When DVRs reached critical mass, consumers started to catch up with their favorite prime-time shows during the late-night hours. The most painful blow came from social media. While online clips of the late-night shows draw hundreds of millions of viewing minutes, that doesn't generate the same kind of ad revenue as TV. They also make showing up at 11:35 p.m. every night pointless. 'The networks cut up all of the best parts of the show, and by the end of the night you can see all of them on social media,' said one former network executive who oversaw late-night programs. 'There's no reason to even DVR it.' Prime-time programs add millions of viewers through on-demand streaming after they air on the broadcast networks. Topical late-night shows don't have the same shelf life. While politics have long been an important element of late-night comedy, the emergence of Trump's political career in 2015 — and his ability to drive ratings and the national conversation — made him the dominant topic. Where Carson, Letterman and Leno skewered both sides of the political spectrum, Trump's ability to provide endless comedy fodder on a daily basis made him an easy, entertaining and ultimately one-sided target. For years it worked. Ratings for Colbert — who made his bones on Comedy Central satirizing a reactionary talk show host — languished for the first two years after he replaced Letterman. Audience levels and ad rates surged in 2017 once Trump came into office and became Colbert's muse. But the country has become more politically polarized in recent years and the relentless lampooning of Trump has created a lane for 'Gutfeld!,' a nightly Fox News talk show with a conservative bent. While not technically a late-night show (it airs at 10 p.m. Eastern), 'Gutfeld!' drew an average of 3 million viewers in the second quarter of 2025 according to Nielsen and has grown 20% since 2022. The young men that used to make late night an advertiser magnet are now turning to podcasters such as Joe Rogan and others who can speak without the restraint of broadcast TV standards.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Seth Meyers and Jimmy Fallon Just Scored 2025 Emmy Nominations!
Both Late Night With Seth Meyers and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon got some love from the 77th Emmy nominations — and so did their respective work on two Saturday Night Live anniversary specials. The NBC late night Hosts earned nominations for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series for their excellent bonus content, Corrections and During Commercial Break. When you want to see behind-the-scenes moments like Fallon and Hugh Jackman filming a promo while hanging over a human-size claw machine, Fallon's "During Commercial Break" segments are where you'll find them. And the best place to witness a FaceTime call between Meyers and Andy Samberg to confirm facts about Nicolas Cage is definitely on "Corrections." Watch Fallon's "During Commercial Break" series and Meyers' "Corrections" on their show's YouTube channels anytime. Awards won't be handed out until September 14, but Meyers has already been practicing. "I'm trying out tuxedos for the Emmys. I want to look good for my 'Corrections' acceptance speech, and the designers are lining up," he joked during the Monday, June 2 episode of Corrections, looking dapper in the black-and-white is the 4th Emmy nomination for Late Night With Seth Meyers: Corrections Ever since March 2021 when Meyers was criticized for using "Legos" as the plural for the building blocks officially known as LEGO, the Host appeased his critics by addressing their concerns on Corrections. The segment is recorded in the Late Night studio with only writers and crew as the audience, and it really offers a glimpse behind the curtain when it comes to writing and responding to late night TV jokes. "Corrections" has been nominated for every year it has been produced, and hopefully the 77th Emmy Awards ceremony will bring a win! Watch all of the episodes on YouTube. CORRECTIONS Episode 141: Week of Monday, June 23 Additionally, Meyers is among the Outstanding Writing for a Variety Special nominees for February's SNL50: The Anniversary is the first Emmy nomination for The Tonight Show: During Commercial Break The cameras keep rolling after Fallon throws to a break during a show taping. And the home audience can experience the same fun as the studio audience with During Commercial Break, which mostly features Fallon palling around with Tonight Show guests, trying snacks, or reminiscing with old friends. Fallon sometimes shares fun facts about bits that didn't air, like when he revealed that Jon Hamm had hidden chips in Fallon's clothes during a music video segment. Jon Hamm Hid Chips in Jimmy's Clothes While Recreating Creed Music Video: During Commercial Break Fallon also earned a nomination for hosting SNL50: The Homecoming Concert, which was recognized for Outstanding Variety Special (Live). Congratulations to Jimmy and Seth! Both and are streaming on Peacock now. Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Conan O'Brien Recalls the Unscripted Moment When He Pulled a Condom Out of Trump's Pocket: ‘He Was Mad'
During a new podcast interview with Marc Maron, Conan O'Brien remembered the time he pulled a condom out of President Donald Trump's pocket on air. Maron brought up the infamous moment during a bonus Wednesday episode of 'Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend.' 'I remember one time I was on your show and I was the second guest after Trump,' Maron recalled of his 1997 appearance on 'Late Night With Conan O'Brien.' 'I took a shot at him when he went out because it was an appearance where, for some reason, he was playing with a condom.' More from TheWrap 'Adolescence' and 'Squid Game' Emerge as Netflix's Most-Watched TV Shows for the First Half of 2025 Netflix 2nd Quarter Revenue Climbs 16% to $11.08 Billion The 8 Best New Movies and Shows to Stream This Weekend on Netflix, HBO Max and More Samuel L. Jackson-Led 'Tulsa King' Spinoff 'NOLA King' Lands Series Order at Paramount+ O'Brien quickly cut in.'What happened was he was sitting next to me and we were talking and he's promoting 'The Apprentice,' I think,' O'Brien explained. 'I remember saying to him, 'So, you're a billionaire. How much money do you carry on you at any one time?' And he went, 'I don't know. I don't know.' [I said] 'Come on. How much money do you have in your pocket right now?'' 'I reached over into his blazer pocket and felt something and he put his hand over my hand really quickly like, 'Don't pull that out,'' O'Brien continued. 'We had a quick tug of war and I pulled it out and it was a condom and he said, 'Safe sex everybody.'' Watch O'Brien's interview with Maron below: According to O'Brien, Trump was not happy about the interaction. 'It was a real moment,' the longtime late night host confirmed. 'And he was mad. He was like, 'I'm not f—king coming on this show again. Goddamn!' He told my producer, 'You don't reach into a guy's pocket,' and stuff like that. But then, you know, literally cut to three months later, 'Ladies and gentlemen: Donald Trump!'' For his part, Maron not only remembered the interview but also the joke he made afterward. 'I remember I came out and I said, 'Why is Donald Trump carrying his own condoms? Don't prostitutes usually have them with them?'' the 'Stick' star recounted. 'Then I said, 'I'll probably end up dead in the East River.'' In response, O'Brien joked, 'Still could actually.' 'Yeah, I brought it back up and [Trump will] be like, 'Oh, yeah. I remember that,'' Maron agreed. Laughing, O'Brien asked, 'Why are we rekindling this now? We'll be shot by snipers.' You can watch Maron's full appearance on 'Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend' in the video above. The post Conan O'Brien Recalls the Unscripted Moment When He Pulled a Condom Out of Trump's Pocket: 'He Was Mad' | Video appeared first on TheWrap.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Yes, George Clooney Has Seen The Pitt — Here's What the ER Vet Had to Say About Noah Wyle's New Medical Show
TV's erstwhile Dr. Ross speaks highly of Dr. Robby: During an appearance on Monday's Late Night With Seth Meyers, George Clooney sang ER co-star Noah Wyle's praises, marveling at his performance in the Max medical drama The Pitt. 'Have you guys seen that show?' Clooney asked Meyers' audience. 'It's so good, and I have to say: We've been really dear friends since [ER] — since we did the pilot of the show. He is just the most honorable, talented young man, [which] I get to say because I'm an old man, and I cannot be happier for his success on the show. The show is just a beautiful show, and he does just a great job with it.' More from TVLine The Pitt's Noah Wyle & Co. Talk Taking Robby to the Very Edge in Finale and 'Getting Mentally Healthy' in Season 2 The Pitt Season 2 Premise, Time Jump and Premiere Month Confirmed — Plus, Who Is (and Is Not) Returning Law & Order: SVU's Ice-T Says He Was 'Blindsided' by Kelli Giddish's Departure, Credits Fans With Bringing Her Back Full-Time in Season 27 Clooney's recognition followed an anecdote about his days as hotshot County General doc Doug Ross, and how often he struggled with some of the medical jargon. 'We used to do these things called oners,' he recalled. 'You've got to get 12 pages of dialogue out and nobody can screw up, or you have to start all over again. I'm at the very end of the oner, at Page 12, and I have one line — supraventricular tachyarrhythmia — and I'm telling you, I never got it! Literally! We did, like, 40 takes, and the rest of the cast is, like, 'Are you f–king kidding me?'' When Meyers pointed out that Wyle is once again faced with difficult doctor terminology, Clooney noted that Wyle 'never had trouble' on ER. 'He always could do it, and I hated him for that,' the Tony nominee deadpanned. Clooney and Wyle recently reunited with fellow ER castmates Anthony Edwards and Julianna Margulies at the April premiere of Clooney's Broadway show, Good Night, and Good Luck, which is up for five Tonys this weekend. CNN is set to broadcast the penultimate performance on Saturday, June 7. The Pitt, meanwhile, took home the Gotham Award for Breakthrough Drama Series on Monday. The streaming hit was previously renewed for Season 2, which is set to premiere in January 2026. The Pitt Season 2: Everything We Know View List Wyle recently visited TVLine's New York City studio and marked the 25th anniversary of an unforgettable ER episode — Season 6's 'Be Still My Heart,' which culminated in the gruesome stabbings of both Dr. Carter and med student Lucy Knight. You can watch that interview below: Best of TVLine 'Missing' Shows, Found! Get the Latest on Ahsoka, Monarch, P-Valley, Sugar, Anansi Boys and 25+ Others Yellowjackets Mysteries: An Up-to-Date List of the Series' Biggest Questions (and Answers?) The Emmys' Most Memorable Moments: Laughter, Tears, Historical Wins, 'The Big One' and More
Elle
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Elle
How Dakota Johnson Is Dressing for This Summer's Biggest Trend
This summer, moodiness is on the mood board, and no one is embodying that vibe better than Dakota Johnson. The actress, who is known for her ultimate boho-chic style, has recently stepped out for a series of press appearances in a myriad of all-black ensembles. From a sculpted Ferragamo blazer on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon to a sheer mesh Nensi Dojaka co-ord set on Late Night With Seth Meyers, Johnson's aesthetic has taken an edgier turn. On Saturday, the star attended the New York City premiere of her most recent movie, Materialists, in a silky black Gucci gown. Keeping the accessories minimal, she opted for a simple pair of black sunglasses and statement earrings, letting the simplicity of the look do all the talking. Even with her casual street style, Johnson has kept the monochromatic theme going, sporting on a recent occasion a black leather blazer, semi-sheer low-cut Balenciaga bodysuit, and flared jeans—the ultimate angsty indie-sleaze outfit formula. Johnson isn't alone. Designers everywhere are leaning into a summer of intrigue. In the last month, luxury brands have traveled the world to stage their cruise and pre-fall collections, all of which have taken a more mysterious tone. Ralph Lauren's luxe runway was filled with lace-frilled sleeves and sumptuous velvet jackets, fit for the modern hopeless renaissance romantic. In Avignon, Louis Vuitton channeled punk court jesters and medieval It girls. Meanwhile, Dior took to Rome to commemorate Maria Grazia Chiuri's final collection for the house with a ghostly presentation and short film that paid homage to great costumers of cinema's past.
