Posted on 07/23/2025 9:17:55 AM PDT by E. Pluribus Unum
Colbert killed comedy. Then comedy killed his show.
The Late Show was born out of the desperation of CBS executives to poach David Letterman. Johnny Carson had decided to bring his unchallenged reign over late night to an end. The future of the Tonight Show was up between Jay Leno, a hard-working comic, and Letterman, the darling of media types in New York, who had the hip alternative Late Night show.
NBC settled on Leno, who underwent the first of a series of bastings by the chattering classes for upstaging one of their favorite cringe comics, while CBS created the Late Show to lure Letterman. Initially it seemed as if CBS had gotten a good deal. Buoyed by favorable media coverage, Letterman’s ratings soared while Leno struggled, but over the long haul, Leno could do a traditional comedy monologue while Letterman’s wit lay in subverting late night comedy.
NBC bet on comedy, CBS bet on awkward cringe, and comedy won while awkward cringe lost.
What most people wanted from late night was a zippy monologue with lots of easy punch lines to laugh at followed by a smooth interview with a celebrity guest, not a deconstruction of comedy, awkward moments, facial tics and a fascination with random sounds that Letterman brought to his nightly Lake Wobegon from a Manhattan theater fests and to the Oscars.
History repeated itself again when NBC scrambled to replace Letterman on the Late Show with Conan O’Brien, a talented Saturday Night Live writer with no standup skills or ability as a performer. The Late Show with Conan O’Brien was clever, subversive and everything a show aimed at young college grads from New York City should be. But not suited for the big stage.
When NBC tried to replace Leno with Conan, the whole thing blew up...
(Excerpt) Read more at frontpagemag.com ...
Conan was sabotaged by Jay Leno and NBC, who then took his job back after he had retired/forced out the first time.
The reason all the rest are failing is the leftward politics. Colbert is also just not funny and a hack.
When you dismiss 2/3 of the audience before you even start (Republicans and Independents), you have nowhere to go but down.
Also killed what was left of Saturday Night live...
From what I've seen, Conan cannot carry the show by himself. He's great at doing skits - but he wasn't good at monologues like Leno.
The one good talk show host was Craig Ferguson.
I remember when the local channels were free of the networks oppressions to do their own thing with local talent during the late night hours. Giving us such things as Elvira, MaZeppa and Earnest.
Why not do that again?
“The Late Show with Conan O’Brien” They mean “Late Night” - the show Letterman formerly hosted on NBC.
And Carson himself has been back on the broadcast airwaves for a few years now weeknights at 11 PM on the AntennaTV network. Dated material and all, it is still better than this current stuff.
He made up a new Waffle House song with someone and that was the only time I laughed at something he did.
Letterman, the darling of media types in New York.
He was a nasty person full on left no wonder NY is pro Marxist for a new mayor.
Obviously because Carson was an entertainer during his time.
The role of Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert is to serve as the propagandist for the Democratic Party.
Colbert failed so he's out of work. Kimmel will lose his job soon.
If Harris had won, they would have been able to keep their jobs. Because their propaganda would have paid off.
bkmk
There were 3 other talk shows that were cancelled by cbs yet no outcry from the democrats about it as they were canceled because they were costing too much just like the Colbert show.
“Late Late Show” in 2023. James Corden host. 8 seasons.
CBS Canceled ‘After Midnight’ which replaced Late Late Show, host Taylor Tomlinson. Last show in June after just 3 seasons.
CBS canceled the daytime talk show “The Talk” December 20, 2024. The reasons cited for its cancellation included years of declining ratings. Lasted 15 seasons.
4 shows cancelled by CBS due to high cost and low ratings.
Example of funny: Carl Reiner is very funny and shows how talented he is singing opera with the band members.
Carl Reiner Talks About His Insecurities on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson - 01/04/1983
https://youtu.be/C9ckqPxZjfg
Carl Reiner to Johnny Carson:
You did your monologue exactly the way you would do if you were a professional and didn’t care.
Yeah and you did it right, it was perfect. I mean if it was the first time out they say that man’s a comer, yes but right now it looks like you’re a goer.
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