Stories related to: late night talk show

Jay Leno might be losing his beloved "Tonight Show," writes the Hollywood Reporter , but the host still has a ratings punch and an enviable set of options (in decreasing order of probability): Take ABC’s 11:30pm-12:30am slot, displacing Nightline and Jimmy Kimmel Live and competing with Letterman and O’Brien. Launch a show on Fox at 11 or 11:30pm—Fox doesn’t currently run late-night shows, but could use Leno’s brand to push into the new territory. Sony Pictures TV puts Leno’s Tonight Show into syndication, which could eventually lead to another late-night gig. More »

Jay Leno is probably leaving NBC when Conan O’Brien takes over the “Tonight Show,” an NBC executive said yesterday. After a news conference unveiling Jimmy Fallon as O’Brien’s 12:35 replacement, NBC Entertainment co-chair Ben Silverman said the network would try to keep Leno on board, but “I think it’s a reach.” More »

John McCain did his best to catch Jon Stewart's curveballs on his 13th Daily Show appearance last night, Political Radar reports. In his first visit since the GOP field narrowed to one, McCain quickly quashed Stewart's suggestion of a McCain-Clinton ticket, but drew big applause when he announced his "real" choice for veep—uptight nut Dwight Schrute from The Office. More »

Jimmy Fallon will take Conan O’Brien’s Late Night desk when Conan leaves for the Tonight Show, writes Roger Friedman for Fox News. O’Brien is set to replace Jay Leno in May 2009; the former Saturday Night Live star is rumored to be “thrilled and ready, if not a little scared” to take over. An announcement is expected next month. More »

Stephen Colbert and his fans often point to a “Colbert bump”—a boost for politicians who appear on his show—and research shows there’s truthiness to the claim, LiveScience reports. A scientist found that Democrats appearing on the Colbert Report raised 44% more funds afterward. Republicans, however, fared no differently or slightly worse. More »

It appears the tides are changing for Conan O’Brien—well, sort of. Last week, and for the first time, the NBC late-night host was beaten in overall ratings by CBS rival Craig Ferguson, the New York Times reports. More »

Political satire that "means it" is missing from late-night TV, Russell L. Peterson argues in his new book, Strange Bedfellows: How Late-Night Comedy Turns Democracy Into a Joke . In Salon, Louis Bayard applauds Bedfellows for advancing a "decidedly moral argument," even if it undervalues Conan O'Brien and tenders some tired complaints about society. Where Peterson gets it right, Bayard writes, is in hailing Stephen Colbert. More »

Rep. Barney Frank will move to legalize “small amounts” of marijuana, Politico reports, citing Americans who think use of the drug is no big deal. “It's time for the politicians to catch up to the public,” said the Massachusetts Democrat on "Real Time with Bill Maher." But it’ll be tough for him to get a vote on such legislation, the Crypt notes. More »

David Letterman has made as many Eliot Spitzer jokes as anyone since the governor’s indiscretions broke, but last night he went on a punchline-free rant against Client 9. “He should have stepped down yesterday,” he said. “Get out of office. Who is running the state, for the love of God?” The audience applauded wildly, the Daily News reports. More »

Despite a dearth of guests willing to cross Writers Guild picket lines and near-scab status himself, late-night host Jay Leno has still managed to trounce rival David Letterman in ratings. Not that either is that funny, but Letterman at least returned with "a fetching gray beard, and the moral high ground"—so why couldn't he steal the show? asks New York 's Sam Anderson. More »

Barack Obama tonight became the latest presidential hopeful to appear on David Letterman, where he counted down a list of campaign promises we can be pretty sure he won't keep, the Chicago Tribune reports. Three words: Vice President Oprah Pronounce the word nuclear, nuclear I'll find money in the budget to buy Letterman a decent hairpiece I won't let Apple release the new and improved iPod the day after you bought the previous model I'll rename the 10th month of the year "Barack-tober" More »

David Letterman started it, when he couldn't resist giving John Edwards' perfectly coifed hair an exploratory  tousle. Letterman did get permission, asking “Could I just mess your hair up a little bit? Has it ever been messed up?" Edwards was game. “You want to? Go ahead,” the candidate said, taking a swipe at Letterman's head in return. More »

Late-night talk shows returned to the air tonight for the first time in two months with a dose of politics mixed among the laughs, the AP reports. Mike Huckabee appeared on Leno, apparently a bit confused by the status of the writers' strike, while Letterman got a taped intro from Hillary Clinton. Letterman and Conan O'Brien sported beards, having put their razors on strike, too. More »

The nation's late-night hosts return tonight after a two-month hiatus because of the writers' strike, with a decided advantage going to David Letterman, reports Reuters. He will return with his writers and top 10 lists intact after negotiating his own deal. Not so for Jay and Conan, who also may struggle getting A-list celebrities. Hillary Clinton taped a cameo for Letterman tonight, while Mike Huckabee will make a full appearance on Leno. More »

Mike Huckabee will be Jay Leno’s first guest when the “Tonight Show" resumes for the first time since the writers strike began last month, the Hollywood Reporter says. The Republican presidential candidate will enjoy the spotlight on Wednesday, the eve of the Iowa caucuses. The late-night talkers have been scrambling to book guests as many A-listers refuse to cross picket lines. More »

The late-night talk shows will be back next week, but they’ll be virtually unrecognizable, the Wall Street Journal reports. Broad, vague Writers Guild rules prohibit the hosts, many of whom belong to the striking union, from providing their shows with “writing services.” That means no scripted monologues, sketches, or fictional characters. More »

The sympathies of viewers affected by the Hollywood writers' strike lie squarely with the writers, not the studios, a new poll shows. USA Today reports that 60% of Americans side with the scribes, and only 14% with their erstwhile employers. Reactions to the strike are varied: Many viewers watch more reruns, more reality shows, and/or less TV in general. More »

Late-night talk-show hosts are considering getting back on the air even as the writers' strike continues, Variety reports. Although Jay Leno, David Letterman, and others initially supported the strike, network sources say a breakdown in negotiations between writers and producers and late-night shows’ plunging ratings have the hosts planning a return to the airwaves Jan. 7 or earlier. More »

Talk-show host Jay Leno stepped up to the plate this weekend, saying he will use his own money to pay, for at least this week, the 80 non-writing employees of "The Tonight Show"  who were laid off by NBC Friday. Staffers blasted Leno when they were pink-slipped for assuring them earlier that their jobs were safe despite the writers' strike. Other late-night hosts had already agreed to pay workers out-of-pocket before layoffs were announced. More »

Striking late-night comedy writers have some serious issues—no jobs and, worse, no creative outlet. When the jokes went from "60 to zero," in the words of a "Colbert Report" staffer, many aimed new blogs and videos squarely at the studios on the other side of the picket line. The result? A platform and a growing audience, reports the LA Times. More »