The Daily Late Nightly Show (Debut)

I’m going to try and not put too many expectations on Stephen.  He’s just an entertainer after all and it’s not his job to save the Republic, though we could use some saving.

I don’t even think he’ll come out like Daaavid Letterman.  Dave had something to prove, that he was much, much better than Jay Leno, and I think he did that.

When Dave rolled out on stage at the Ed Sullivan Theater he had a fully developed show with a format, a staff, and an audience.  He was the righful heir of Johnny Carson with a New York Rolodex full of edgy talent on the make instead of the fake tanned celebrity of Burbank (is that even really a place or just a CGI wax museum?).

I followed every moment of the build up and was never unhappy with the result.  Leno’s only virtue is that he’s compliant for which the evidence is his dismal prime time expansion and the failed Conan hand off.

Jimmy Fallon is his proper heir, a vacuous vacant airhead with half the attention span of a tweet (I call them twits and they are incapable of expressing any thought that can not be formulated in 70 characters or less simply because it exceeds their reasoning ability).

Stephen asked Dave if he would have changed anything.  Dave said- “I’d have put my desk on the other side.”  You can expect to see Stephen on the left even though he says he wants Republicans to feel included in his audience.

Thus Jeb!

What even his detractors will admit is that Stephen is a pretty fair interviewer so you can expect that aspect of his talent to be featured.  Tonight in addition to Jeb! he has George! (not quite sure why except Clooney makes a habit of debuts and farewells).  His house band is Jonathan Batiste and Stay Human.

I think that the transition to Larry Wilmore’s Nightly Show has helped to psychologically prepare me.  Even about 5 months in it’s still striving to find its balance though it is much, much better than it was.  Likewise I think Trevor and Stephen get a suspension of disbelief for a time.  Material doesn’t necessarily translate.

Speaking of the new continuity-

Learn Something!

LEARN SOMETHING!

Tonightly our panelists are Mike Yard, Kerry Coddett, and Matteo Lane.