Game shows back in late night on CBS

[doctorwho]

...because the 7,432nd run of Comics Unleashed (give or take a few) is sliding up to take what's currently Stephen Colbert's slot. As for the former Late Late Show slot? Funny You Should Ask...

https://latenighter.com/news/cbs-replaces-colbert-byron-allen/

[DoItRockapella]

Me, an obsessive-level game show fan: "If CBS really does have to cancel The Late Show, I wish they would at least replace it with a new late-night game show".

*Monkey's Paw curls*

Reading the linked article, this will apparently take effect on May 22, the day after Stephen Colbert does his final show (May 21). The article doesn't address if these are new episodes, new-to-CBS episodes, or what.

[BrandonFG]

I know the late night wars aren't what they were 15 or 20 years ago, let alone in the late-90s. And I know this is CBS bending the knee for the current admin, but this is still quite a decision by CBS. I guess inoffensive humor that doesn't shake the table is more important.

[Sodboy13]

Gonna be something when The Tiffany Network is running an hour with Louie Anderson as fresh content fove nights a week in 2026. Woof.

[BrandonFG]

I know the late night wars aren't what they were 15 or 20 years ago, let alone in the late-90s. And I know this is CBS bending the knee for the current admin, but this is still quite a decision by CBS. I guess inoffensive humor that doesn't shake the table is more important.

From this article:

Though Colbert's "Late Show" is known for its pointed political humor, Allen told The Los Angeles Times last year that he wants comedians to bring non-political material to "Comics Unleashed."

"I tell the comedians we're shooting 'I Love Lucy,'" Allen said. "Something that's evergreen. So I don't want to hear any political humor. Just be funny, family-friendly and advertiser-friendly."

Wonder how much of this is also to keep the material from being dated? I've mentioned a few times how many Paris Hilton and Myspace jokes I remember from the original version well into the 2010s.

[TimK2003]

Gonna be something when The Tiffany Network is running an hour with Louie Anderson as fresh content fove nights a week in 2026. Woof.

Byron and CBS should go all in and throw in the 25+ year old "The Byron Allen Show" episodes into the late nite mix as well...They were supposed to be timeless 'evergreen' shows if not his very first.

[Stackertosh]

I know the late night wars aren't what they were 15 or 20 years ago, let alone in the late-90s. And I know this is CBS bending the knee for the current admin, but this is still quite a decision by CBS. I guess inoffensive humor that doesn't shake the table is more important.

I miss when Late night shows were funny and they focused on comedy. The shows nowadays, all they do is rant about the President. 

[PYLclark86]

I miss when Late night shows were funny and they focused on comedy. The shows nowadays, all they do is rant about the President.

I understand your sentiment, but what are you expecting out of a format based on topicality mixed in with a President who strives to make himself the main character in real life?

It's a bit like complaining that "Saturday Night Live was funny when it wasn't political" For what? The first three episodes before Chevy Chase started doing his Gerald Ford non-impression?

[BrandonFG]

I know the late night wars aren't what they were 15 or 20 years ago, let alone in the late-90s. And I know this is CBS bending the knee for the current admin, but this is still quite a decision by CBS. I guess inoffensive humor that doesn't shake the table is more important.

I miss when Late night shows were funny and they focused on comedy. The shows nowadays, all they do is rant about the President.

Meh. I agree it’s more heavy-handed these days, but late night shows making fun of the president dates back to the days of Nixon. If it wasn’t Watergate, it was Ford/Carter/Bush I and II being ineffective, Reagan/Biden being senile, or Clinton being a sexaholic. Colbert and Kimmel going in on Trump isn’t much different than when Letterman or Leno made a Bill and Monica joke every night.

[JasonA1]

The palpable difference has to be that the previous generation, Carson especially, lobbed most of their salvos in a monologue, without any bells and whistles. Whereas the prevailing style now is an evidence-filled, almost-news-like treatise that involves file footage, quotes from articles, etc. I can at least see where some people feel like that's a lecture compared to what we used to have.

Granted, I personally LOVE all the receipts we get vis a vis clips, but....

-Jason

[PYLdude]

I know the late night wars aren't what they were 15 or 20 years ago, let alone in the late-90s. And I know this is CBS bending the knee for the current admin, but this is still quite a decision by CBS. I guess inoffensive humor that doesn't shake the table is more important.

I miss when Late night shows were funny and they focused on comedy. The shows nowadays, all they do is rant about the President.

Meh. I agree it’s more heavy-handed these days, but late night shows making fun of the president dates back to the days of Nixon. If it wasn’t Watergate, it was Ford/Carter/Bush I and II being ineffective, Reagan/Biden being senile, or Clinton being a sexaholic. Colbert and Kimmel going in on Trump isn’t much different than when Letterman or Leno made a Bill and Monica joke every night.

Plus any time Laura Benanti puts on her Melania is a good time.

[PYLclark86]

The palpable difference has to be that the previous generation, Carson especially, lobbed most of their salvos in a monologue, without any bells and whistles. Whereas the prevailing style now is an evidence-filled, almost-news-like treatise that involves file footage, quotes from articles, etc. I can at least see where some people feel like that's a lecture compared to what we used to have.

Granted, I personally LOVE all the receipts we get vis a vis clips, but....

-Jason

I think this is a fair criticism. I also wish all of the late night shows didn't try to cosplay themselves as The Daily Show, but I feel like that ship sailed when all of the networks made their hiring decisions back in 2014. It felt like everyone wanted the next Jon Stewart, not the next Letterman or Leno. Then again, the alternative for years was Celebrity Kazoos with James Corden or whatever shenanigans Jimmy Fallon was up to.

To tie this all closer into our wheelhouse for a moment, what's happening in late night somewhat parallels the abandonment of network morning programming we saw in the 1990s.

How much time does broadcast tv have left?

[chargeradiocom]

Back in the day, Carson, Leno, et. al. would make fun of both sides. Now, most of it seems to deliberately target one side, and in a heavy-handed way. Jimmy Fallon is probably the late nighter most akin to the past generations of late night shows, in that he makes fun of both sides, and the political jokes aren’t the main thrust of his shtick.

Of course, when the president is so thin-skinned about taking a joke that he even threatens to go after Fallon, he makes himself an easy target.

[JasonA1]

How much time does broadcast tv have left?

There are certainly seismic shifts in viewer habits that have only grown in recent years, and we probably haven't seen the last of what changes that will bring. However, I think it's worth pointing out that, a lot of what CBS is doing specifically (IMO) is singular to their needs and goals. And we've been saying the same "tick-tock, tick-tock" rap about terrestrial radio, newspapers and the like...for years. They haven't completely gone away. My gut tells me that some version of that will be true of broadcast TV, for the near future, anyway.

-Jason

[PYLclark86]

Back in the day, Carson, Leno, et. al. would make fun of both sides.

I can't speak for all of late night, but I recall plenty of jokes about Biden's senility and Kamala's invisibility during their term. Of course, big boy was still ever present too.

Of course, when the president is so thin-skinned about taking a joke that he even threatens to go after Fallon, he makes himself an easy target.

Thiiiissss right here. Also the cartoonishly bombastic personality. It's like a comedian doing an impression of a normal sportscaster versus doing one of Howard Cosell.