Seth Meyers, who just took over as the host of Late Night two months ago, has — according to Variety — accepted the task of hosting the 2014 Emmy Awards this August. It’s his first Emmy hosting gig, though he has hosted the ESPYs twice (and quite well, I might add). The telecast will air on Monday, August 25th (instead of the usual Sunday, due to NBC’s commitment to NBC Sunday Night Football, although the MTV Music Awards will now air in that Sunday slot).
The choice seemed rather obvious. With NBC hosting this year, it made sense to choose someone from its new late-night roster. Jimmy Fallon hosted in 2010, 18 months after he took over Late Night from Conan O’Brien. It also highlights once again what a fantastic year the once beleaguered NBC is having, as it is poised to be the top-rated network of the season in the 18-49 demo, thanks to the Olympics, Sunday Night Football, The Blacklist, and The Voice. It’s also expected to be the most profitable network of the season, which has had a lot to do with the ascension of Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers, who are dominating the ratings in their respective time slots.
And if Meyers’ roster of guests on Late Night so far is any indication, expect only current and former Saturday Night Live cast members to be presenters at the awards this year, which — thanks to True Detective and Breaking Bad — be one of the most competitive Emmy races in a while.
Here’s a taste of Meyers’ hosting abilities.
