CBS Late Night Changes Part 2:

http://www.tvforum.co.uk/tvhome/change-cbs-late-night-40052/page-25#post-973364

Following on from the last thread, its seems there is talk that CBS will give “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” to James Corden, and move Stephen to 00.37

* http://www.telegraph.co.uk/tv/2016/12/08/james-corden-replace-stephen-colbert-british-host-reportedly/

* http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4013754/Is-Colbert-Late-execs-scout-LA-locations-rumors-swirl-James-Corden-coveted-gig.html

* http://pagesix.com/2016/12/07/late-show-checks-out-la-locations-amid-corden-takeover-rumors/?_ga=1.195245736.525105221.1471554571

* http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2016/12/08/late-show-checks-out-l-locations-amid-james-corden-takeover-rumors.html

It wouldn't be surprising since Stephen Colbert has slag off half is audience over this election, and the first rule of late night ......

I can't quite word this properly but I'll give it a go... There's only so much exposure we can get on this side of the pond, but whereas people like Corden and Fallon get attention outside of their own shows (viral videos, media attention etc) I can't say anybody seems to give much of a toss about The Late Show. People seem more *aware* of the other two whereas Colbert doesn't seem to get much attention. As much as I dislike Letterman, his tenure still seemed like people cared.

Craig Ferguson was far too niche to take the slot, and he admitted this himself. The Late Show is too mainstream. Having said that, since Corden took over, TLLS feels far more Late than Late Late in terms of its wide appeal. Nothing about it alienates the viewer, and whether or not you consider it "bland" it would make for an easier transition over to TLS if Corden took the job.

Having said that, I'm a firm believer in "if it ain't broke, don't fix it". The show does fine where it is now, and there are risks moving it to an earlier slot and potentially changing its audience. I may be mistaken but Conan's brand of humour didn't transfer successfully on The Tonight Show because he had a far broader audience to cater for. Again, Corden is safer given his show hasn't got a niche, but CBS might be better off revamping TLS on its own and leaving TLLS to thrive, rather than potentially killing both of them.

No doubt if Corden did move to 11.35 then Colbert would just do a Conan and take a pay-off and run.

Trump's win made this inevitable. Colbert needs to be unchained to do what he does best. His watered down show, as it is, just isn't working at 11:30 where people clearly prefer inoffensive **** like Lip Sync Battles and Carpool karaoke. Corden's show is pretty much a cut & paste copy of Fallon's so there's no reason what it shouldn't be able to hold it's own. I suspect Colbert will move to CBS owned Showtime.

It would make sense, Cordon's show seems a lot more mainstream and showbiz. Colbert's opening monologues and comedy has been a lot more political than Letterman's which is understandable seeing as where he came from. I could see them fitting better the other way round. He was great during the election but now Trump is president a later slot might be more suitable - more time for the topical stuff and he can be more serious than the earlier slot

It is interesting how The Daily Show has influenced the current crop of network late night shows. Seth Myers does a regular Daily Show type item, then you've Colbert doing very topical monologues.

Although, to be honest the 'A Closer Look' feature in Late Night With Seth Myers, owes far more to the first section before the 'And Now..This' on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. Right down to the framing and the location of the over the shoulder box graphic.

I doubt CBS would want to drop Colbert totally - they've spent a heck of a lot on the roof to basement renovation of the Ed Sullivan Theatre post Letterman to just let that go to waste.

Moving him back to 12.35, and letting him be a bit 'looser' will let them go for the 'chat show anarchy' vibe that Letterman nailed during his 16 years on Late Night on the peacock network. Plus, it'll allow Stephen to go more on the satirical/political gags, without the fear that the core CBS audience isn't shuffling on their sofas, not laughing at an in-joke aimed at the White House Press correspondents, and hoping the interviews start soon.

Course, the problem was CBS were almost in a no-win situation from the off.
Mostly, Colbert was not David Letterman.

Second, he really became famous playing a overblown character parody of himself - and it takes a lot (even for his fans that followed him across from Comedy Central) to accept that even without the shouting and finger pointing in the monolouge - it was Stephen Colbert playing himself. I knew the show was starting to look for an on-line sharing spark, when John Stewart turned up earlier this year, to deliver a 'hands crossed on the desk' piece to camera taking apart Fox News - just like the good ol days on The Daily Show.

Third - Whilst I could see the need to hit the ground running with the new style of 11.35 show, your audience at that time (like at the other end of the day) likes what it likes, and wants to see that night after night.

Switching Corden around to 11.35 may also have another hidden undercurrent behind it. Yes, he'll appeal to the 'You Tube/Twitter/Facebook' share this generation (something that Fallon, it's been mentioned mined very well, very early on) but since Fallon started The Tonight Show, there's only one before midnight show coming out of the West Coast - and I just wonder, if the big Hollywood cleb bookers are starting to give NBC/CBS a bit of heat over this.

Probably a good scheduling move - although how long before he hear stories of CBS looking around and auditioning people ready to jump into the 12.35 slot, if Colbert bombs in that slot, and is moved to Showtime (if only to give the Ed Sullivan theatre crew something to do) or just takes the $20million payoff cheque?

£20million payoff is nothing for CBS if it means loads of money pouring in. Corden also doesn't go out of his way to offered anyone and your right his show is more mainstream.

I think this kind proves Craig Ferguson wouldn't have worked in that time slot and he know it plus he couldn't be bother with the more mainstream type show and guest, I bet he still NOT happy over viewer moaning about that swearing rabbit...

But then John Oliver's show owes a lot to The Daily Show.

Incidently, I've never seen a whole episode of John Oliver's show as I watch individual items on YouTube so I've no idea what order they come in!

* News of the week,
* break segment like how is this still a thing or Stupied things presenters say,
* Main point of the show, like "lead in water" or "police taking money ie cash from people"

I give it to him, when he stays off political stuff and like the above his great but add in this election and he dire.

... is what?


When you say he slagged off half his audience what do you mean? If you're referring to the half that voted Trump, I very much doubt that there's much overlap in a Venn diagram of Colbert viewers and Trump voters.

I don't have the demographics to hand but one would assume that viewers of Late Night are far more metropolitan than the mostly rural Trump vote. Not that half the population voted Trump, far from it

Its not trump voters per say, its just if you can win Alabama you can win coasts, as one great person one said. The thing is Stephen Colbert he was too one sided, and he kept pushing it, while Corden just got on with it and had a fun time. Late night isn't suppose to be political, its suppose to be fun and easy going. Of course to be fair two thirds of population never voted for either one of the main candidates

I don't think he did any damage to his core audience by doing so much anti-Trump material, the opposite in fact.

Also all the topical comedy shows did more on Trump, not necessarily because of any bias but because there was far more material.

The next 4/8 years will either be a golden age of satire in the US, or it'll be a period of lazy obvious political comedy because it'll be far too easy