The Colbert Report, just one of the spin-offs from Comedy Central’s The Daily Show, ran for almost a decade, ending last December. During that time, Stephen Colbert firmly established himself as one of the stand-out satirical sociopolitical voices not named Jon Stewart. This Tuesday night, however, Colbert is entering a new arena, as well as a new era in his career as a TV star, when he debuts his version of The Late Show, a program that was previously helmed by maestro David Letterman for more than 20 years.
Colbert will be joining the late night talk show circle as a new generation of hosts has taken center stage. There’s no more Leno. There’s no more Letterman. Craig Ferguson has parted ways with us, and Jon Stewart has said bon voyage. In the wake of the mass exodus, there’s been a reshuffling of hosts, and an influx of new ones, namely Colbert, and soon, Trevor Noah. For now, though, Colbert will be contending — in his time slot — with Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Conan O’Brien, and later, Trevor Noah (he debuts September 28) for the number one spot in the late night TV ratings war. So, how can Colbert come out on top?
During his tenure, Jay Leno was the king of the late night wars with his version of The Tonight Show, and recently, Jimmy Fallon’s version of that same show has been leading in the ratings, with his 1.4 million viewer average in the almighty 18-49 age demographic scoring even better than Leno. If Colbert wants to be the best, he’ll have to dethrone Fallon, and he has the ability to do so, while leaving Conan and Kimmel in the dust, as well.
Fallon, like Leno before him, appeals to a mass audience. His show is playful, and his man-child routine, where he giggles like a schoolgirl at his guests’ barbs, is charming to say the least. His reign at the top is partially due to his ability to turn The Tonight Show into a playground of sorts, with the entertainment elite stopping by to momentarily jump on the swing set with him. For Colbert’s Late Show to differentiate itself from Fallon, he has to stay away from the games. Leave those hijinks to James Corden on The Late Late Show, which has, from time to time, adopted that style.
If we’ve learned anything from Colbert’s stint on Comedy Central, and even his more recent YouTube videos, it’s that Colbert is as smooth as any TV hosts we’ve ever seen. Where Conan is cartoonish, Kimmel is deadpan, and Fallon is exuberant, Stephen Colbert is sharp, witty, and has the ability to blend a variety of stylings into one comedic punch. If Colbert wants to be satirical, he can do that. If he wants to banter back and forth with an exaggerated inanity — as he did with this brilliant Eminem interview — he can do that, as well. If a more astute guest provides Colbert with the opportunity to provide a bit of political commentary, Colbert will be ready for that, too.
The current row of late night hosts play to their strengths — as they should — but it also exposes their weaknesses. How many times have we seen Conan do that damned puppet dance? For all of Kimmel’s ability to provide entertaining segments like the Mean Twitter comments, he’s really not a master of the interview. Jimmy Fallon can make even the most stoic guest burst into laughter after getting smacked with a giant hand, but what much else is expected from his show past the carnival games and impromptu sing-a-longs?
What Colbert brings to the table is a fresh perspective on the late night talk show, and reviews of test versions of his program have ranged from positive to stellar. In this new role, though, Colbert will likely need a bit of time to adjust from a pundit “character” to a genuine leader of late night. What will be even more interesting to see is how Colbert will be able to appeal to the internet community. Corden’s YouTube channel is doing fantastically well, as is Kimmel’s, Conan’s (his gamer series especially), and late night leader Fallon’s. For Colbert’s program to really excel above the others’, his show will need to appeal to those who only consume late night in bits and pieces online. Colbert has already started down that road with his new channel.
Colbert fans should really be excited for his debut this week, and for what’s coming up in his inaugural season. Whether the show sets off sprinting, or at a light jogging pace, Colbert has the intelligence, timing, and charisma to make an impact. The question is: If Colbert puts forth a product that is worthy of being called the best, will enough viewers tune in to reward that greatness? Time will tell.
