TV: Late Show - Letterman retiring May 20; Colbert debuting Sept 8 (post: 248)

[Acadmus]

I would actually watch it if it was him.

I'd also love to see Norm MacDonald hosting one of these shows, but it'll never happen. He's seen as too much of a loose cannon, and frankly he's not of the political persuasion CBS would be looking for. Nor ABC, nor NBC. They'd never get him to agree to not tell Obama jokes like all the others (and I'm willing to bet that's why Leno started making Obama the butt of a lot of his jokes, because he was being pushed out by NBC anyway and had nothing to lose). I don't know if anyone's paid enough attention to notice, but despite Obama being great fodder for punchlines, Fallon, Kimmel, Meyers, and Letterman have avoided joking about him like they'd be shot if they did. I'm sure O'Brien also has avoided telling Obama jokes. MacDonald, on the other hand, would NEVER stop, and if you told him not to do it he'd do it more just to rub your nose in it. He's also never been keen on being politically correct, another danger zone for the networks.

 

[Acadmus]

Jon Stewart would be my top choice, guy's pretty funny and would bring a lot to the Late Show. As to Letterman always liked him. His Top 10 lists where always good for a laugh.

Absolutely not. There's a reason Stewart's on Comedy Central. His brand of comedy doesn't appeal to everyone. When he first surfaced on MTV in the 90s I didn't find him humorous at all, and when his first show on NBC premiered I checked it out and he was completely unfunny. I've seen some of his Daily Show and guess what? My opinion hasn't changed. His appeal is to a certain segment of society, the same segment that typically finds Conan O'Brien and Tina Fey funny. And if you think you're in the majority, guess again. There's a reason The Tonight Show's ratings tanked under O'Brien and his TBS show hasn't suddenly shot to the top of the ratings, and Fey oversaw the decline of SNL (I seem to recall speculation during her tenure that the show may "finally" be cancelled, but of course it wasn't) and her show 30 Rock was atop TV network ratings that were at historic lows (because, frankly, there's nothing but crap on TV for the most part).

That said, given Fallon's got The Tonight Show and Meyers has The Late Show, I doubt CBS will find anyone funny for Late Night. And yes, by that I'm saying they WON'T move Ferguson into the slot and they'll find some hack instead that no one will want to watch, but they'll just blame the rise of cable and DVR use for their low ratings.

 

[Kyle Doobas*]

Absolutely not. There's a reason Stewart's on Comedy Central. His brand of comedy doesn't appeal to everyone.

Neither does anybody else's.

 

[Stanley Foobrick]

Dave talks about Brian Williams, starting at the 2:10 mark.



only runs about 1 minute.

Couple so seconds here too, starting at 33:40

 

[Trap Jesus]

 

[Habsfunk]

Norm would never work as host. The guy loves doing standup but that's about it. Everything he does is amazing, but nothing ever lasts. His podcast was hilarious (the Super Dave episode is one of the funniest things ever), but he only did a few episodes of it before calling it off. I couldn't imagine a TV executive even letting him try out. We just need to enjoy Norm in the minimal doses we get.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

I like the idea of Ellen Degeneres. She would be great. Her and Conan are the two I would most like to see.

 

[bohlmeister]

Norm lost a bunch of weight by the looks of things. That Green interview is from January.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

I like the idea of Ellen Degeneres. She would be great. Her and Conan are the two I would most like to see.

I doubt Ellen would give up the great thing she has going on daytime.

 

[Psyfer]

I like the idea of Ellen Degeneres. She would be great. Her and Conan are the two I would most like to see.

Ellen Degeneres is a terrible idea for a late night host.

 

[Gordon Lightfoot]

Ellen Degeneres is a terrible idea for a late night host.

Good point.

I agree with other posters saying she is unlikely to do it. She's funnier than anyone doing it now except for Conan IMO.

 

[member 51464]

This announcement was about 16 years overdue. Letterman stopped being funny around the time he had that "gotta gum?" fixation. Now he's just a cranky old man.

I never watched him much. What is this gum thing about?

 

[Shareefruck]

I'm surprised he's interested, but Colbert would be amazing

My hesitation with Norm has to do with seeing him in his live podcasts (which is the most recent thing I'm aware of)-- he looks awful in them , and not very viable for tv.

Maybe it's just a circumstance thing

I think Ellen would be bad too, IMO.

 

[cupcrazyman]

-The Top 10
-Larry "Bud" Melman
-Mujibur and Sirajul
-May We See Your Pictures

the rest of the show wasn't very good imo

 

[Trap Jesus]

My hesitation with Norm has to do with seeing him in his live podcasts (which is the most recent thing I'm aware of)-- he looks awful in them , and not very viable for tv.

It's all part of the charm though. He'd be the anti-late night host. The execs wouldn't like him (which is why he wouldn't be hired), but he'd be a fan favorite for sure. Part of me hopes they'd give him a look as Ferguson is pretty anti-mainstream and breaks down the conventions of hosting a late night show as well, but I realize it's a long shot at best.

 

[Acadmus]

Just saw a report that Chelsea Handler is in talks with CBS as a possible replacement.

She's sometimes funny. But on her show she works with a whole freakin' team, like Howard Stern.

 

[WarriorOfGandhi]

Norm's humor is waaaaaaaay too dry for a mainstream audience

 

[KesselBuiltMyHotrod]

Norm is the only person who could get me to watch talk shows again but there's a 0% chance of that happening.

 

[ClassLessCoyote]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...ssed-over-for-late-night-gig/?intcmp=features

David Letterman’s pending Late Show retirement is a win-win for one lucky potential successor – his protege, Craig Ferguson reports The New York Post.

The Late-Late Show host’s contract with CBS automatically gives Letterman’s empty chair to Ferguson if he wants it, while awarding him $5 million if he is passed over, according to a Hollywood source who has been appraised of the details.

“Conan’s was a lot bigger,” the source joked of Ferguson’s contract, which expires in June.

Conan O’Brien collected $10 million thanks to his own “out” clause, after being passed over for “The Tonight Show” gig in 1993.

 

[Zodiac]

Letterman was always very 'meh' to me. never much cared for him, but didn't dislike him completely.

his Top 10 list always sucked tho. i don't think i ever laughed one time from any of those lists. just terrible.

not a Ferguson fan either. i find him pretty irritating.

Conan would be alright ...as would Stewart.

 

[Acadmus]

his Top 10 list always sucked tho. i don't think i ever laughed one time from any of those lists. just terrible.

Once upon a time they were hilarious. Although for whatever reason the #1 on every top 10 list was lame. #2 was usually the best.

But like everything in Letterman's schtick, it got stale as it got older, and the fact he was a TV weatherman prior to hosting a late night gig as opposed to a stand-up comic really shows. Never showed much interest in refreshing his material.

 

[member 51464]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...ssed-over-for-late-night-gig/?intcmp=features

Interesting. The way that is worded seems strange. His if he wants it. If he says no and they pick someone, does he still get the cash?

 

[Megahab]

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainmen...ssed-over-for-late-night-gig/?intcmp=features

I don't get it. Why would Conan receive $10 million for being passed over for The Tonight Show in 1993 when he was just starting on Late Night?

 

[Mr Atoz*]

I don't get it. Why would Conan receive $10 million for being passed over for The Tonight Show in 1993 when he was just starting on Late Night?

There has to be a mistake there. It was either Letterman that received it or they were referring to Conan's clause when he was booted from the Tonight Show years later.

 

[Stanley Foobrick]

I'm surprised he's interested, but Colbert would be amazing

.

But Colbert plays a character.... CBS wouldn't want the character as a host. Could Colbert be a host without his current made up persona?