I keep hearing bad news about The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Colbert took over from David Letterman last year, and let’s just say that Colbert’s first 11 months have been extremely rocky in every way. Colbert seems distracted and tired, if not outright annoyed on-camera. The ratings have plummeted and there were some big staffing issues. I think that’s why Colbert is on the cover of The Hollywood Reporter, to try to salvage this and basically announce that the show is being rebooted internally, and now they’re going to get looser and have more fun. Colbert signed a five-year contract for The Late Show, although that’s no guarantee, let’s face it. I think if the ratings don’t improve, Colbert could be out within the next year. It’s not looking particularly good – The Late Show didn’t even get nominated for an Emmy, but James Corden’s late night show did. As for this THR piece… the problem is that Colbert still sounds a bit surly? Colbert’s appeal was always as the subversive masquerading as the wingnut. Now he’s got to be the straight man and it’s just not great?
How he felt when Howard Stern asked James Corden if Corden would take over The Late Show: “That’s a reasonable question for Howard to ask, I suppose, because Howard asks provocative questions. I mean, any question is a reasonable question if you think it’s interesting, and that’s a very interesting question. But, I mean, what can I do about a question? All I can do is the best show I can. The implication of that question is that the show isn’t good enough in its present position. So of course that makes you feel bad. But it doesn’t jibe with what I know about our show, so you recover.”
He had to send letters to politicians promising that he’d treat them with respect: “I think after the legend of that whole character, people wanted to know [that] I’m really going to treat them with respect.”
His awful Trump interview: “He played it very safe. He didn’t say anything crazy, he was the soul of reason. He wouldn’t even look at me. He sat there like a schoolboy with his hands on his lap. So I found him to be dull, if anything. As soon as the interview was over, I went, ‘Oh, f— me, why didn’t I call him low energy?’ That would’ve really riled him up.” Trump, says Colbert, is a slippery target for parody because “he is a parody. You can’t quite put your finger down on what he means. Our greatest success has been aping a stream-of-consciousness style in which he talks.”
How the criticism feels: “I’m a human being. Yeah, I care. If there’s something informative, if there’s some criticism that would be helpful, I’m happy to listen to it. But you know, you are the show, and so you can’t not take it personally. And the only difficult thing really is I like what we do, and so I don’t entirely know how to feel about negative criticism.”
On launching the show: “I didn’t really have much fun in the late fall…. I went, ‘OK, well, I like what I do, but I think that the pace of it might kill me unless I can find a way to regulate the way I’m throwing myself at it.'”
On working with CBS: “There has been a remarkable lack of bullsh-t from CBS. I thought there’d be more. The only bullsh-t is like odd prudishness…. I mean, NCIS can stack up hookers like cord wood, but heaven forbid I say ‘g–damn it’ or ‘a–hole.’ By the way, you bleep ‘hole,’ not ‘ass.’”
This does make me sad for Colbert, mostly because The Colbert Report really was a genius invention and Colbert really did seem happier and more fulfilled doing a Comedy Central show as opposed to being on network TV. It probably also sucks for Colbert to see other Daily Show alums like John Oliver and Samantha Bee start their own shows to wild success and great reviews across the board, meanwhile Colbert still feels like he’s finding his footing 11 months in. While CBS is sticking with Colbert for now, I honestly don’t think they will for much longer. Ugh.
Oh, and Jon Stewart is trying to save his friend’s job too – Stewart has been making appearances on The Late Show all week.
Photos courtesy of THR.
I don’t think he’s bad at all. If anything, it’s refreshing to have a host who’s not all ass-kissy, happy and annoying like Fallon or Ellen are. I wish there was even more politics and less show bizz, amd he was a bit harder on the politicians, but I guess you can’t do that in a late night talk show. How much freedom does he have?
And I mean, he’s Colbert. Even when he’s not at his best he’s better than most.
I am also surprised I like Corden. He had some huge huge shoes to fill, and while I found him annoying in some UK show he’s doing really well. The Graham Norton type joined couch was a good idea. He’s no Craig, but he’s good.
I’m also not entirely sure why he’s being criticised on this level. What were the expectations? Sometimes you can tell during interviews he’s going through the motions and he’d rather talk to somebody else which is not great. Fake it, for god’s sake. But other than that? He was never going to be like his character on TCR and he was never going to be Letterman. Who, btw, I don’t think was so funny but that’s a matter of taste.
I feel like he’s still trying to make it his own which is fine 11 months in. Letterman sat there for how many decades? It can’t be easy.
I like watching the show (on youtube only, unfortunately) and while I sometimes think he could go further, it’s not like he’s doing a bad job. I really would love to know what the expectation was.
He’ s being criticised on this level because he was absolutely awesome, smart, witty, innovative, charming and hilarious on The Colbet Report, while now he’ s a regular talk show host who seems like he’ s working on auto-pilot. He set the bar too high by himself with his amazing work on TCR, and we all expected… more. It’ s not that we expected politics or the Stephen Colbert he was playing on his show, but we gave for granted that he was going to be as awesome and original as he was before, only doing something lighter than social and political issues. We were expecting something like Craig Ferguson, instead we got another Letterman who, as you said, was incredibly overrated and has been phoning it in for at least a decade.
And let’ s face it, most of us think of it as a demotion despite the bigger budget and better timeslot, because attacking politicians is something that is considered to have more gravitas than chatting with celebrities about their latest self-help book. That’ s without even talking about the fact that talk shows like this have pre-approved questions and pre-written answers about absolutely irrelevant topics, while the interviews he did on TCR where with some really good guests and even the actors seemed like they weren’ t just rehearsing a script.
Sure, I get that. But then the mistake is the expectation itself. He was never going to be as sharp simply because it isn’t the same show. It’s a completely different format and if he hadn’t wanted to do something different he would’ve stuck with the show or at least with Comedy Central. Or gone to HBO or something. He wanted this instead and yeah, it’s fluffier and he doesn’t always seem to like it which, in my opinion, is the only real problem here. You can’t let the viewers know. The second he buried TCR, I knew it was going to be a different Stephen Colbert and I’m fine with that. I hope he and the writers continue to improve the show but in the meantime, I’m enjoying what he’s delivering because it’s good. And if I want biting commentary, I’ll watch Full Frontal.
@Littlemisnaughty – exactly. I used to religiously watch The Colbert Report, but you can’t expect the same thing in an environment that’s much more constrict.
And you are both right, but my point was about quality more than contents.
Everyone knew he wasn’ t going to use his TCR persona, and that he wasn’ t going to do political satire and social commentary in more than a passing way, and while we might have been disappointed in this decision, we were hopeful that he was still going to do something original and groundbreaking and that he would’ ve shaken what has become a very stale routine (talk show hosting in general).
As I said, we were expecting something different from TCR, but unique in its own way like what we had with Craig Ferguson, who was hosting a talk show that was so different from any other talk show it could be catalogued in another category entirely. Instead, he decided to go the safe route (I think it’ s also partly the fault of the new timeslot and the producers, not just his), and to top it all, he seems bored and detached most of the times.
Personally, I think it’ s because sometime the past year he realized that what he did before had some weight, while what he does now does not.
I guess we just disagree on the quality then. Like I said, there are issues but to me, that doesn’t mean it’s as bad as people make it out to be to the point where he might be fired. And again, the expectation was that he was going to do something groundbreaking? With The Late Show? On CBS? As long as the format was to be the same, that wasn’t happening. There is only so much you can do with that show on that network. Sam Bee is doing something groundbreaking. That’s not a late night talk show though. I think you were expecting him to keep the name of the show and nothing else.
I don’ t think he’ s so bad that he should be fired. I just think he’ s like the other talk show hosts and doesn’ t stand out even though he could and should because we know and have proofs that he’ s MUCH better than Fallon, Leno, Ellen, Letterman, Kimmel, Corden and Conan (and I like Kimmel and Conan, but they are pretty standard as well).
And you’ re right, I WAS expecting him to keep the name of the show and nothing else, because I thought that he could and wanted to bend the format, as strict as it is, to make something new, partly to invigorate the genre and partly to stay away from Letterman and his schtick.
As I said, I am pretty neutral about his firing, I tend to think that mediocre Colbert is still better than most: however, where I am disappointed, other people are angry, and that’ s why they are crying for him quitting and criticising as much as they do. They’ re just pissed off that they lost a Colbert they loved and got a Colbert they are pretty meh towards.
I hope the live shows this week will make the networks consider loosening up the format. His sketch as Caesar Flickerman on the RNC stage had me in tears, and the entire show was funnier than it’s been in months.
I think there’s still something of a clash between what Stephen’s good at and the expected format of a late-night show. He’s quick on his feet, great in less scripted interviews, and working with writers on satirical sketches (like “the word” and his opening segments to the show). Some of the expected late-night segments like “confessions” and “the hat has spoken” consisting of strings of one-liners feel like relics from another era. Not all of them are bad- I actually loved “friday night fights!” and it had some great writing! but it seems no one else was a fan.
Another part of the problem is the expectations of a celebrity interview. The celeb interviews go well when the celeb prepares well and manages to work in an entertaining story. Stephen is better at using his character to catch interviewees off-guard with unexpected and entertaining questions, and he can’t do that when he’s feeding them a set-up line about motherhood or their past work so they can launch into their prepared story.
I adore Stephen and I hope he does find a way to make the show more his own. I think a portion of the problem is that a lot of his audience are millennials who don’t have cable (cough) and while I watch him almost every night, I’m not in the ratings.
He says, “you are the show,” — that’s his mistake. Dave didn’t equate himself w/the show. He held it at arm’s length in a way. I’d love it if he went back to the Daily Show and they got rid of Noah.
He went from half an hour to an hour — and brought the same male writers, and has a blind spot about hiring women. He’s a great guy but he doesn’t get it. If he doubled the time why not hire some females?
He needs to remember his uniqueness and use it as an asset, not blend in w/the Jimmys. Corden did that and it worked for him.
I love love love him, but he micromanaged the show from Day 1 and wore himself out and started resenting it when he didn’t get good ratings.
He tries too hard, talking over the guests, singing w/them and singing over them — it’s not that he has an edge, it’s that he’s competitive. He wants to show everything he can do and doesn’t sit back to let the guests shine. And those guests! Kelly Cuoco types, who are on every show. The segments are too quick even if the guests often aren’t interesting; abrupt. Do longer ones w/better guests. Forget “performing” all hour.
And it IS an hour, twice his old show. Twice as long should mean they’d hire some WOMEN — his flaw. A new show needs change.
He’s so smart and talented, how does he think HE’s the show? He’s not the only reason I tune in. I watch till I’m bored and then I flip to Kimmel — who lets people talk and learned from Letterman. Too bad Colbert didn’t.
He could improve the show w/guests no one else would have or could handle — his chemistry w/Maurice Sendak was amazing, and then the man died not long after. He’s a bit of a showoff intellectually, so talking to Kelly Cuoco just doesn’t work.
Love Steven Colbert and it’s about the only late show I watch. I do record it though, because I don’t stay up that late.
IDK. He made his living mocking/making fun of other people (while hiding behind a character that he invented) for many years. Perhaps that’s his “gift”, rather than making interesting conversation with people. When you’re used to mocking people, I guess it’s hard to fake politeness or interest when you’re talking to them.
Besides John Oliver and Samantha Bee, Seth Meyers has really impressed me this election. He’s the only one out of the more conventional talk show host (Corden, Fallon, Kimmel, Colbert) whose really gone there. I’m surprised. He’s what I thought a Network version of Colbert would be.
You also have to look at the writing rooms. Seth, John and Samantha all have very inclusive writing rooms (women, gay people and POC). Colbert still has a very male and very white writing room.
Yeah. At first I thought that network had neutered Colbert but Seth Meyers is also on network and manages to bring it. I also cringed when he tried to roast Paul Ryan for the pic of an all white intern program when we now know how uninclusive his writers room. IIRC Colbert said he just hires the people that make him laugh which made me choke because how can HE of all people not be aware that his audience is not all white male or that his sense of humor isnt universal. So disappointed in this man, I dont care if he loses his show.
But Seth is on in the later time slot so he has more freedom.
@Naya Colbert really needs to change his writing staff. We all have fond memories of the Report, but some of that wouldn’t fly today. He needs to be updated.
@lilacflowers
I guess you’re right.
Well, they actually put out an ad for new writers on CBS’s career board and anyone on earth could apply! So…lets see what comes of that.
BTW, I think he’s very likable and refreshing in the landscape. The writing, though, is a bit inconsistent and off at times, but I’m hopeful. He seems like a good human being so I’m rooting for him.
And this past week he’s beaten Fallon, with the RNC coverage and “Colbert” the character returning and the Jon Stewart bits, so the tide might be turning.
–TheRealPinky
Colbert started as a staff writer on the Daily show, which was overwhelming young white males..I think there was just one woman in the early years, and she didn’t stay long..I just realized it’s been a long time since I’ve watched any of the late nite talk shows..guess I’m not alone.
This problem in Stephen’s writer’s room has been demonstrated for me in the interview questions asked of two guests in past months: Rashida Jones on feminism, and DeRay McKesson on Black Lives Matter.
He asked Rashida checklist-type questions about feminism – ie is such and such a thing feminist? Is it right or wrong according to feminists? As if feminism is a game with a scorecard always in hand. Rashida was game to answer but I hated the setup. These questions seem to presume feminists are an odd subspecies of human who play by different and incomprehensible rules that aren’t at all reasonable common-sense propositions with equality at their foundation.
I know Stephen has interviewed McKesson about Black Lives Matter before in January, but the most recent interview he did last week was tremendously upsetting. Stephen actually asked if the BLM organizers are in some way responsible for the attacks on police in Dallas. Then he asked whether BLM protesters couldn’t try to see the police point of view a little more. Not only were these questions derailing, they were irresponsible. I get that he might have been trying to play devil’s advocate by asking questions he’d expect viewers to have, but I think asking such questions makes them seem like legitimate questions when they obviously are inappropriate. You can’t stop your own brother from committing a crime if he’s determined. You can’t sympathize with someone who is shooting you to make things better. McKesson answered tremendously calmly and didn’t even look upset (he must meditate a lot?!) but I feel Stephen failed in his responsibility to educate his viewers via his line of questioning.
I am a longtime Stephen fan (like, for at least ten years) but these things decreased my estimation of him. He needs to develop a more inclusive writer’s room. If, at the end of the interview about a social issue, I feel furious on behalf of the interviewee, that is not a good interview.
@senna
If he had a woman or a black person on his staff he’d never asked those questions. I think Colbert means well, but he just doesn’t understand those perspectivees. And apparently neither do his writers. It’s disappointing.
The Colbert Report was perfection. I haven’t watched much, but the episodes I’ve seen of the Late Show have felt too reserved, too safe, and a bit of a waste of Stephen’s talent and intelligence. I hope they can all figure it out, he’s too good to not be on tv. I have watched him during the RNC and it seems better, so hopefully it works.
I agree with you. His skit with Jon Stewart as his character from The Report gives me hope that his show will become more subversive.
Totally agree with you. When he briefly brought back the Colbert Report the other night, it made me realize how much I truly miss it. He seemed happier and more comfortable playing the character, too. I wish we could just get the Colbert Report back.
I watched the Colbert Report every night, but I haven’t watched the Late Show at all. I hate the network late night format with the tired scripted interviews flogging celebs’ latest projects. The restraints on language and humor that the networks enforce limit the creativity of the monologue and interviews. It has literally been decades since I watched them; the era when Farrah Fawcett had her meltdown on Letterman.
His RNC reporting was funny.
Agree, Colbert covering politics is the best Colbert. I feel like he breathed new life into the Late Show this week.
I love him so much. He is so funny and intelligent. He has not had an easy life but he is just so genuine, optimistic, and a superb human being. I think CBS was prepared for a bumpy start. He has always been a great interviewer though. He is the bestest.
good. we need a lot less straight white men in the media.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Colbert was fired. Unlike other shows, you never hear a thing about The Late Show. I also think it’s a complete 180 going from a political satire to a celebrity talk show host. That’s what John Oliver and Samantha Bee have going for them. It’s just them. Colbert may also be better with a Bill Maher type of show – celebrity guests talking about social/political issues.
They should have given the show to a woman.
Why?
I wish he could’ve stayed where he was for one more year. Could’ve really used him this election cycle.
It was too much, having him and Stewart leave so close together. But John Oliver and Samantha Bee are crushing it, so at least we still have them.
I love Colbert. But this was a bad move for him. I get that he may have been tired of the Colbert Report character, but at least on Comedy Central he was doing something different and edgy. Now he’s just another white guy on a major network trying to find some viral sensation like Carpool Karaoke and Celebs Reading Mean Tweets. Because let’s be honest–that all late night TV is now on the major networks. No one really cares about the celeb interviews anymore because it’s just fluff.
I really wish he would’ve taken over The Daily Show from Jon Stewart. I think that would’ve been a good move for him.
I’m just devastated about this. I LOVE Colbert and he was so so good on The Report. That’s where he thrives…if you watch his RNC coverage it’s great. the Late Show just isn’t his sweet spot and it’s so hard to watch.
It feels to me like he tries to invite some very accomplished people on the show like scientists and political pundits… unfortunately late show watchers like dumbed down. I also like that he invites so many talented african american people (I am not african american btw).
Unfortunately we are talking about a world where Kim K is famous and not Noam Chomsky. People watch late night to watch dumbed down stuff with actresses showing lotsa leg and chest and bros with dumb anecdotes. The lowest common denominator means lower ratings like shitty pop music instead of classical music.
I think Colbert needs to go back to what he loves which is satire. Love him, but this show is not making the most of his talents.
Totally agree with you Applapoom. Not a great fit for him, he gravitates to the intellectual side of the scale not the fluff and it’s the fluff that gets ratings.
He always had great guests on the Colbert Report. It must be frustrating to go from that to typical network late night.
Colbert s ratings are way bigger than Letterman s were the last years of his show and Kimmel is still consistentry in last place of the three networks. So, where is the crisis? Bonus- Jon Batiste (Colbert ‘s band leader) is FANTASTIC. If we watch a network late night show, it’s always going to be Colbert. His convention coverage is awesome!
yeah, this. His ratings are higher than what Daves were in his last seasons.
If we watch late night TV, we watch Colbert specifically because it isn’t beer pong and weed jokes 24-5.
I love the sleepover bits where he gets a celeb to do life’s big questions with him. Also, the Hungry for Power Games bit has been one of the best parts of the election.
Enough can not be said about Jon Batiste and the whole use of music. He’s a genius.
Well, you should all thank Trump because he is making America great again, the old Colbert is back. He’s doing really good this week. Loved his Hunger for Power Games skit where he was at the NRC. Also love their hour long coverage of the condiment stand and trashbin during the RNC.
OMG the condiment stand. Was the guy putting mustard in his water bottle for real? Because ewwwww.
I wish Colbert had kept the same format as before, late night television doesn’t need 5 talk shows with the same guests on repeat, it needs his sharp wit and political savvy, especially during this election season.
He needs a new writing team. A diverse writing team that would be fresh and funny.
I love Colbert, and it boggles my mind that CBS could be having any difficulty making a show work with Stephen freaking Colbert.
All the folks complaining about the writing: I wonder if the talent pool is getting diluted. Samantha Bee took most of The Daily Show writers with her. You have John Oliver. Trevor Noah. Larry Wiltmore. Jimmy Fallon. Seth Meyers. James Cordon. Conan O’Brian. Jimmy Kimmel. I wonder if the talent pool is getting diluted there – one hopes that they’ll be actively seeking out fresh, diverse voices.
It really would be shame if CBS decided to replace Stephen Colbert. He may not be doing The Colbert Report character, which it sounds he himself got burned out on doing, but he’s a better interviewer than Jimmy Fallon or James Corden.
It took Jimmy Fallon a while to become comfortable in the talk show format. I remember watching him after he took over from Conan and how awkward it was for the first year. He found his sweet spot with the viral sketches and games with guests, which hid the fact that he’s a lousy interviewer who asks softball questions. He was also insulated and given time to improve with the whole Conan/Leno Tonight Show drama. I do think that some of his quirkiness has gone away with him on the Tonight Show, but that’s to be expected with the time slot.
I am loving Colbert’s Hungry for Power Games bits during the election and the genius impersonation of Melania Trump by Laura Benati.
Fallon is horrible at interviews. He just fawns over them. I would watch the interviews he did with various cast members of Hamilton and he just kissed their ass. It’s only when he plays games or does tricks that there is anything worth watching.
Colbert can be better at interviews, but I think the format restricts him a lot. His brief report of “Stephen Colbert” was a return to form. More of that needs to happen. No holds barred political seems to work a lot better for him. Stop playing to the senior citizen crowd.
I love, love, love Stephen Colbert but I was really surprised when he first announced that he was taking this job. No matter what you want to do, on a show like this you’re going to be pretty shackled by the format. Even had he left the Colbert Report, I think he would’ve been better off creating another new program rather than stepping into this one.
I agree, passionately. Late night TV isn’t really the best place for him. That is not where he shines. But I adore him and hope he stays on the air. Maybe the show needs an overhaul to distinguish itself from all the other late-night shows. He is one of the only voices of reason left in political commentary, and he’s brilliantly funny. It’s a shame that both Stewart and Colbert left their shows.
I know that Stewart and Colbert have repeatedly said that they’re comedians and not political commentators, but they’re so smart about politics and that’s really where they both shine. There’s no reason that they couldn’t have political shows that use humor as a means of delivery. John Oliver has proven that this flip can be done pretty effectively and successfully.
He was the wrong choice to take over for Dave. The other shows have all made generational leaps and he feels like the younger brother of jay and Dave. That older, cluelessly white sensibility he has worked when he was spoofing Fox News but doesn’t work if he’s trying to appeal to a late night audience in 2016. I was also surprised he took it because this job is a step down, intellectually, but I guess his ego couldn’t turn down this network platform.
He was never going to be able to do the political material that he excels so well at on CBS, and that stinks.
It’s not so much about ego as it is 1) he was tired of the character (he was going to end The Report regardless) and 2) having 3 kids who need college funds. Network money is no joke, even in the current splintered entertainment universe.
The problem is, his performative strengths lie in improv and character building, which are not ideal for a talk show unless the guest is able to play along, and he doesn’t have anyone on the couch to play with either (like how Andy Richter could always participate in the nutty stuff Conan did early on).
This comes as a huge surprise to me. the Late Show is my favorite late night talk show. I think it’s light years better than the tonight show, which to me always sounds like a slumber party filled with 11 year old boys.
This times eleventy billion.
Huh. This reminds me of when Conan took over for Jay Leno on The Tonight Show who got royally screwed over when they gave the job BACK to Jay Leno after Conan only had the job for less than a year. Seth Meyers eventually got the job a few years later. I don’t think CBS would give the job back to Letterman since they are considering James Corden whose show I’ve never watched though I have seen clips of Car Karaoke or whatever it’s called on Youtube. It can take awhile for a person to find its footing but it’s all about the ratings these days.
Network execs are the downfall of all good talent
Corden replacing him would be such BS.
love colbert unconditionally. his interview of harry belafonte on the colbert report where they end up singing jamaica farewell is one of my favorites of all time.
Another issue I’ve had with his show isn’t his fault – the only way I’ve been able to watch it online is through CBS’s app, which is a pain. They have a few clips on their website, but not full episodes. I think all of the other late night guys are available on multiple platforms online, but not Colbert.
Lucy, full episodes of Colbert’s Late Show are available on the CBS Web site.
I’ve found the show in general to be weak. Stephen Colbert is a talented improvisational sketch comedian who can sing and dance and is capable of performing as all sorts of characters in all sorts of situations. Yet on The Late Show, Colbert usually just sits at a desk and talks and talks and talks about politics without really interacting with anyone.
Colbert should play to his strengths. Monday’s show in which he he did play to his strengths by opening with a song and dance number, brought back his Colbert Report persona and used his “Hungry for Power Games” character at the Republican National Convention showed us of that Stephen Colbert (and his writers and producers) are capable of putting together a late night show that viewers will enjoy, that gets buzz on the Internet and that might also get decent ratings. If Colbert can continue to regularly do the sorts of things that we saw on Monday, maybe he will find success on CBS.
If not, say hello to new Late Show host James Corden and the first black, female host of a late night talk show on a major network–Wanda Sykes and Cynthia Garrett don’t count–Aisha Tyler.
People may have overly fond memories of Dave Letterman, who became an institution. I’m old enough to remember when he first started. Colbert’s way ahead of where he was in the early years.
He is awful!! I’ll turn my TV off before I watch his show! All he does is cram his own views about politics down the viewers’ throats!