Although Seth Meyers is reportedly the frontrunner to take over Late Night from Jimmy Fallon next year when he gets The Tonight Show, NBC has yet to ink a deal with Meyers or make an official announcement. So, that means it’s time for we entertainment journalists to ask every big name comedian if they’re interested in hosting Late Night. MTV talked to Patton Oswalt if he has any late night plans, and he told them he doesn’t want Fallon’s job or any talk show job. Here’s Oswalt’s response:
I’m very flattered that a couple of people have mentioned that perhaps I would be a good replacement host [for Jimmy Fallon]. I would be a terrible talk show host because if I’m not interested in someone, then I can’t fake the enthusiasm to try to talk to them. I don’t know what I would do every single night. Fallon is so good at the job. Let him do it. And there’s other comedians, friends of mine, especially Jimmy Pardo, Paul F. Tompkins, and Julie Klausner who I think the talk show world kind of desperately needs to host shows right now. So, I’m … hoping that any good will that’s going towards me to take over any of these shows, I hope it goes towards one of them and they get to take over a show.
It’s refreshing to hear how honest Oswalt is about not feeling he’s suited for a late night job, and his three picks – Jimmy Pardo, Paul F. Tompkins, and Julie Klausner – would all make excellent hosts. With Late Night not officially in Meyers’s hands yet, the USA network planning a 12am series, and Craig Ferguson’s Late Late Show due to open up once he takes over Letterman’s Late Show sometime in the near future, hopefully at least one member of that talented trio gets the late night job they absolutely deserve.