For more than 60 years, late-night TV hosts have been putting Americans to bed.
From Johnny Carson, the “king of late night,” to Letterman and the Jimmys, late-night talk shows have swayed pop culture and “watercooler” talk. But the landscape hasmostly sounded and looked the same: all male and mostly white.
That slowly started to change with the premieres of The Amber Ruffin Show, Desus and Mero, and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee. But recently, Desus and Mero and Samantha Bee announced the ends of their multi-season runs. James Corden is also leaving his host position on The Late Late Show on CBS next year. These open spots have some TV critics like NPR’s Eric Deggans askingwhat this could mean for the future of late-night television.
So, how much more opportunity is there to expand the diversity of late-night TV? And how much staying power does it have in the age of streaming?
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