“After Stephen Colbert’s Firing, These Late-Night Hosts Are Taking Over — And Redefining TV’s Future!”
“After Stephen Colbert’s Firing, These Late-Night Hosts Are Taking Over — And Redefining TV’s Future!”
Times are hard in the world of late-night TV, as evidenced by the shocking July 17 announcement that CBS’s “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” will end its 10-year run in May.
Declining profits and viewership, combined with rising costs (and often frequent jabs at a sensitive president), have made the late-night talk show host one of the country’s more precarious jobs. Yet each week, Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart and others hit the stage to comment on world events, speak to star guests, and make America laugh. Here’s who’s still kicking it, late-night style.
‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’
The Show: “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” is filmed before a live audience in New York City’s historic Ed Sullivan Theater, airing on CBS four nights a week.
The Run: Colbert, 61, took over “The Late Show” in September 2015 from previous host David Letterman. Earlier, he was a correspondent on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” and took his conservative-blowhard persona to a spinoff series, “The Colbert Report,” which aired from 2005-14.
Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle.
Fun Fact: CBS might have canceled Colbert and “The Late Show” franchise, but the host still has 10 months to rock some late-night comedy. And from the looks of it, already, it’s going to be wild.
‘Late Night with Seth Meyers’
The Show: NBC’s “Late Night” is shot at Studio 8G at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, near Meyers’ previous Studio 8H home as “Weekend Update” host on “Saturday Night Live.”
The Run: Meyers, 51, has been the host of “Late Night” for more than 11 years, taking over the job in February 2014 from Jimmy Fallon, who was promoted to “The Tonight Show.”
Fun Fact: The “Late Night” in-house band, The 8G Band, was cut due to budget reasons at the end of Season 11 in May 2024.
‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon’
The Show: “SNL” alum Fallon hosts “The Tonight Show” in Rockefeller Center’s Studio 6B.
The Run: Fallon, 50, has been at “The Tonight Show” since February 2014. Fallon is the sixth host of the storied franchise, and took over the role after Jay Leno’s second tenure.
Fun Fact: In 2024, Fallon was the last late-night host to shorten his week to four days, in another cost-cutting move.
‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’
The Show: ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” is the last late-night show to be shot in Los Angeles, taped on Hollywood Boulevard in the building formerly known as the Hollywood Masonic Temple.
The Run: Four-time Oscars host Kimmel, 57, has hosted “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” since January 2003. ( Kimmel takes summers off, and guest hosts are filling in through Labor Day.)
Fun Fact: Despite its title, “JKL” has not aired live since its first season.
‘Last Week Tonight With John Oliver’
The Show: “Last Week Tonight” is filmed at the CBS Broadcast Center in New York City and airs on HBO Sundays (11 ET/PT).
The Run: Former “senior British correspondent” on Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” Oliver, 48, has hosted the satirical “Last Week Tonight” since April 2014.
Get the Daily Briefing newsletter in your inbox.
The day’s top stories, from sports to movies to politics to world events.
Fun Fact: Oliver’s weekly HBO series won the best talk show Emmy for seven consecutive years starting in 2017, prompting an awards split into two categories – talk show and scripted variety series – to give more traditional talk shows a shot at winning.
‘The Daily Show’
The Show: Jon Stewart serves as Monday’s “The Daily Show” host on Comedy Central with a rotating cast of other hosts including Ronny Chieng, Jordan Klepper, Michael Kosta, Desi Lydic and new host Josh Johnson.
The Run: Stewart, 62, replaced Craig Kilborn, serving as the “The Daily Show” host from January 1999 to August 2015, and returned as the Monday “The Daily Show” host in February 2024.
Fun Fact: Stewart’s return marked the first time a former long-term late-night host returned – not just for a cameo, but as an “appointment viewing” weekly fixture.
‘Gutfeld!’
The Show: Greg Gutfeld’s “Gutfeld!” is shot five nights a week at New York City’s Fox News headquarters.
The Run: Originally titled “The Greg Gutfeld Show,” airing on Saturday nights, Fox News Channel moved the satirical look at current events to weeknights starting in April 2021 and renamed it “Gutfeld!”
Fun Fact: Late night’s highest-rated show, averaging 3.1 million viewers, has one major fan – President Trump, who appeared on “Gutfeld!” in September 2024, earning the show’s record audience of 4.9 million viewers.
