A Question About Late-Night TV Hosts

I have a question about late-night TV hosts. Before I go any further, I want to acknowledge that there is systemic sexism and racism in the entertainment industry. I don’t like it, and I hope it changes.

This post isn’t about that. At least, I’d like to make an assumption for the sake of discussion. If you buy into this assumption–even just for the discussion–feel free to keep reading.

The assumption is that at least one network–hopefully more than one–isn’t sexist at the upper levels and would be willing to hire a female or non-white late-night host if they thought the host would make a great, popular, profitable show.

Okay, we’ve got that out of the way. Here’s the point of all this:

Currently and historically, all late-night TV hosts on network television have been white men. Right now we have Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden, Seth Myers, Stephen Colbert, and Conan O’Brien.

I greatly enjoy these hosts. They do a great job, supported by a diverse array of writers, producers, musicians, etc.

However, I just find it really curious that there are no women or minorities among the late-night hosts. Like, watch this clip of Kristen Bell guest hosting for Jimmy Kimmel and tell me that she wouldn’t make a fantastic late-night host:

She’s awesome! I would absolutely watch Late Night with Kristen Bell.

Similarly, even though it’s not a major network, Comedy Central made a fantastic pick with Trevor Noah on The Daily Show.

So I don’t think this is an issue of quality or desirability. Audiences just want to be entertained, networks just want to make money, and advertisers just want to be a part of popular shows.

Why, then, are there no female or minority late-night hosts? Have they been offered the job and turned it down? Is it simply a matter of current or historical sexism/racism? Or is there something else going on here?

2 thoughts on “A Question About Late-Night TV Hosts”

  1. Daily show with Trevor Noah

    Past non white / hosts
    Arsino hall which I believe the revival ended last year
    Chelsea Lately, which Netflix ended last month
    Larry Wilmore replacing Stephen colbert’s slot
    Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell, which he is now doing a similar podcast/radio show on NPR Kamau Right Now.

    But yep, they need to put it in a more prime spot and give a female and or minority a shot at it.

    Problem with the current situation is that the most of the Talk show hosts do it for decades, and the changeover from Leno/Letterman was recent. I do like the fact that Kimmel gave a wide variety of actors a chance to stand in for him.

    Reply
  2. Jamey,

    I know that this has been addressed across the networks when Samantha Bee started her show and I forget the name of the magazine, but she managed to get all of the white, male hosts into the shot along with her. We can only hope that the folks at highest levels in the entertainment business make good decisions…

    Cheers,
    Joe

    Reply

Leave a Reply

Discover more from jameystegmaier.com

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue Reading