There's a college course I teach called Foundations of Television. Every term I ask my students if they watch late night television. The answer is almost always a resounding "no." The main reasons they state are less about the shows being unfunny and more about how they can see the highlights on YouTube! They are not used to just sitting down to watch a show with monologues and guests that don't mean anything to the. They'd rather get the high points. Not a surprise!
I would lean in with Dan Pal. It's a tough call when you're 18-54 demographic has been raised by and for the Internet. Sure, my parents stayed up late to watch Johnny Carson (I mean, who didn't?) and for a long time as kid-tween, I wanted to be with them, doing the grown-up thing. I eventually graduated to Carson and then Leno, but having lived this long, I do have to agree the landscape has changed immensely. A lot of the pointed satire back then wasn't done by the hosts; it was the stand-up comics who Carson brought on: Carlin, Rivers, Brenner, Letterman, Pryor and of course the master, Robin Williams. Ironically, the only way to view the golden age of television is by watching clips (or if copyright permits) entire episodes of Carson & Co. Jonathan Winters? Side-splitting! And my favorite ep, which should be required viewing by any talk show host: 1969 on the Tonight Show with Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Buddy Rich, Carol Wayne, George Gobel, Judy Carne and Robert Wagner. The clip to end all clips.
The world and late night talk shows have changed so much. I used to enjoy watching all the shows back 25 years ago, but none today. Do you guys miss Larry King too?
Both Jay Leno and David Letterman drew good ratings even though they were rivals ... in fact, they infamously competed for the same job (Tonight Show). Conan came along a bit later. I would say that Larry King's show wasn't in the same genre. His was more a news-oriented interview. No audience. No band. No skits. Just interviews. But he was good.
Sorry Jim, but I must disagree. Late night television is the only television that I watch on a consistent basis. The late night talk show monolog and the late night "fake news" are where joke writers get to ply their wares. Note every joke lands but some do. And, if you appreciate comedy, this is where it lives. Comedians are today's philosophers.
The only TV shows that I watch on the reg are:
- Late Night with Seth Meyers
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- The Daily Show
- Last Week Tonight with Jon Oliver (bonus - you might actually learn something)
- Real Time with Bill Maher (bonus - hear some opinions that you don't agree with)
The fact that some Fox News program gets ratings is not an indication of quality. It is a sad byproduct of our times. Like reality TV. Or the latest "Tornado Throne of the Shark Dragons" or "Rich People Doing Bad Things" serial on NetFlix.
There's a college course I teach called Foundations of Television. Every term I ask my students if they watch late night television. The answer is almost always a resounding "no." The main reasons they state are less about the shows being unfunny and more about how they can see the highlights on YouTube! They are not used to just sitting down to watch a show with monologues and guests that don't mean anything to the. They'd rather get the high points. Not a surprise!
We have a national attention-span crisis. Nevertheless, I'm with them. I'd rather stick an ice pick in my ear than watch Colbert.
I would lean in with Dan Pal. It's a tough call when you're 18-54 demographic has been raised by and for the Internet. Sure, my parents stayed up late to watch Johnny Carson (I mean, who didn't?) and for a long time as kid-tween, I wanted to be with them, doing the grown-up thing. I eventually graduated to Carson and then Leno, but having lived this long, I do have to agree the landscape has changed immensely. A lot of the pointed satire back then wasn't done by the hosts; it was the stand-up comics who Carson brought on: Carlin, Rivers, Brenner, Letterman, Pryor and of course the master, Robin Williams. Ironically, the only way to view the golden age of television is by watching clips (or if copyright permits) entire episodes of Carson & Co. Jonathan Winters? Side-splitting! And my favorite ep, which should be required viewing by any talk show host: 1969 on the Tonight Show with Bob Hope, Dean Martin, Buddy Rich, Carol Wayne, George Gobel, Judy Carne and Robert Wagner. The clip to end all clips.
The world and late night talk shows have changed so much. I used to enjoy watching all the shows back 25 years ago, but none today. Do you guys miss Larry King too?
Both Jay Leno and David Letterman drew good ratings even though they were rivals ... in fact, they infamously competed for the same job (Tonight Show). Conan came along a bit later. I would say that Larry King's show wasn't in the same genre. His was more a news-oriented interview. No audience. No band. No skits. Just interviews. But he was good.
Sorry Jim, but I must disagree. Late night television is the only television that I watch on a consistent basis. The late night talk show monolog and the late night "fake news" are where joke writers get to ply their wares. Note every joke lands but some do. And, if you appreciate comedy, this is where it lives. Comedians are today's philosophers.
The only TV shows that I watch on the reg are:
- Late Night with Seth Meyers
- The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
- The Daily Show
- Last Week Tonight with Jon Oliver (bonus - you might actually learn something)
- Real Time with Bill Maher (bonus - hear some opinions that you don't agree with)
The fact that some Fox News program gets ratings is not an indication of quality. It is a sad byproduct of our times. Like reality TV. Or the latest "Tornado Throne of the Shark Dragons" or "Rich People Doing Bad Things" serial on NetFlix.
Actually, GenZ just doesn’t think ANYTHING is funny anymore, unless it’s cruel and directed at their enemies.