Late night shows are America’s favorite past time. With several late nights shows on major broadcast networks from NBC to CBS and a few on cable networks like TBS and Comedy Central, there are many options to choose from to release the worries of the day through late night TV. There has also been a movement of late night shows for a younger more laid back audience. The Rundown with Robin Thede on BET, Desus & Mero and The Untitled Action Bronson Show on both Viceland and are recent examples of late night becoming more trendy for today’s generation.
While Late night TV is typically known for its comedic elements, the more mainstream shows are heavily defined by musical performances, interviews and/or interactive games with some of the hottest artist of the times.
Hip Hop and R&B style music has become more popular worldwide and ultimately found its way to late night. In the past few years, late night shows have seemingly been pushing the urban culture and the culture of Hip Hop and R&B more than ever. New comers, like Desus & Mero, are the essence of the evolution of late night TV for the new generation.
Although Desus & Mero are creating a buzz in the late night realm, broadcast late night shows, such as Jimmy Kimmel Live and The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, bring in over one million viewers each week exposing all of the US to urban contemporary music and its artists. They have impacted the culture so much so that last year XXL Magazine ranked the best late night show performances of the year. Late night has also been able to provide a platform for less mainstream artists such as Daniel Caesar and keep seasoned vets seasoned vets like Erykah Badu in conversations.
While mainstream late night TV has been great for the culture by exposing people of all different backgrounds to urban contemporary culture, it does bring up the idea of how well these hosts can relate to the new school of artists coming out. For example, Cardi B was a guest on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.
Parts of the interview are a little awkward, but not for a lack of the host Jimmy Fallon not trying, but because of some sort of disconnect between him and Cardi. Wouldn’t it be nice to see someone who can relate and understand the artists today interview and interact them on a late night show on a huge broadcast network?
Who would you like to see host a late night show? Leave your ideas in the comments.
