Taylor Tomlinson has filmed two of the funniest Netflix stand-up comedy specials (Quarter-Life Crisis, Look At You) in recent years. She isn’t afraid to pepper her material with both a cheerleader smile and dark subject matter and tie it together with a pretty amazing Taylor Swift joke.
Tomlinson has also been touring nationally for years and has been doing stand-up since she was 16 years old. And now, we finally know who will be filling James Corden’s late night TV slot after he moved on to different pastures (and is hopefully now treating restaurant staff with the respect that they duly deserve). Tomlinson, for her part, is 29 years old, which means that she’s half the age of Stephen Colbert, who personally called her with news of her upcoming gig.
Tomlinson found out about this development only this week, and here’s how she reacted when Colbert delivered the news. She compared her casual Zoom appearance with this vibe: “You know when you think you’re gonna get dumped, and they propose instead?”
There will be a quick turnaround, too. Tomlinson will begin her hosting duties in early 2024, and the show will be titled After Midnight. Don’t expect any Corden-esque touches, either, for this show will pattern itself after @Midnight, the Chris Hardwick-hosted semi-game show (of rotating celebrity contestants trying to out-funny each other) from Comedy Central (also of Paramount Global like CBS).
Tomlinson actually got her start on the Christian comedy circuit, but she’s since moved on to more brazen territory. Her Netflix stand-up specials dive into her experiences with bipolar disorder and other difficult subjects with plenty of bite. Not only will she be the only female late night host currently on the air, but by far, she will be the youngest of them all.
