The focus of late-night TV was split in two this week. On the one hand, it was a news-heavy week between the horror of violence in Gaza and the chaos of (ex-)Speaker McCarthy’s ousting. On the other hand, there was the ramp-up for Saturday Night Live’s return, resulting in three current cast members and this week’s host making appearances on NBC shows — not to mention the three alumni and two former writers who guested across late night this week. Luckily the hosts were agile in asking the right questions of the right guests, and we didn’t have to hear Amy Poehler’s opinions on the debt ceiling, nor Senator John Fetterman’s thoughts on Lisa From Temecula. Wait, actually I do want to know that.
It’s also been fascinating seeing what actors are appearing on talk shows to promote during a time when scripted work is a no-no to discuss. Kerry Washington has a memoir, Seth Meyers plugged his own merch on The Tonight Show, and Amy Sedaris mainly talked about what a bad house guest John Early is. Here’s who plugged what, and who did it the best, this week in late night.
5. Josh Johnson Does The Tonight Show
You know who really suffered during the WGA strike? No, not the viewers. They had Suits. The stand-up comics, who had nowhere to plug their headlining sets at Helium. Besides podcasts and TikTok. Anyway, it was a delight seeing stand-up return to The Tonight Show. What especially tickled me about Josh Johnson’s set was that he managed to work a callback into his tight five. That’s efficient, and fun!
4. Representative Maxwell Frost Is Camera Ready
As mentioned, this was a historic and event-heavy week. Colbert’s bookers were on their shit this week, giving us both Representative Maxwell Frost and Senator John Fetterman. I can’t think of two dudes more well-poised to talk about this moment of congressional tumult. Frost’s messaging was excellent, he rolled with the jokes, and he said nice things about his constituency. Dude knocked it out of the park.
3. Marcello Hernández Brings Gifts to Late Night
The award for best entrance of the week (as well as best first late-night appearance) goes to Marcello Hernández, who brought wine and a corsage to Late Night With Seth Meyers. Hernández had his mom in the audience, and a wise camera op had her in their sights so that they got footage of her getting weepy at her lovely boy — as well as her looking a little peeved about allegedly being the inspo for one of the best lines on SNL last season: “My son don’t have ADD, he just likes to jump!”
2. Reacting to Hog With Aunt Chippy
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned? Maybe. But have you seen the fury of a woman confronted with six dicks on her nephew’s talk show? That’s fury. On Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Aunt Chippy reacted with righteous indignation when shown clips of Max’s Naked Attraction. Everything was blurred and bleeped, which made the whole thing that much weirder. Hats off to Aunty Chippy and her very inventive swearing.
1. What Is Even Going on With Mary Cosby?
There are fewer and fewer opportunities for live televised insanity. Love Is Blind isn’t doing a live reunion this season, Andy Cohen isn’t getting drunk on NYE anymore, and if things get too unplanned on SNL, Lorne will just swap in the rehearsal taping for reruns/YouTube. But WWHL stays messy. RHOSLC’s most contrary gal, Mary Cosby, let Ziwe relive the awkwardness of her (unfairly) canceled show by being the weirdest and most uncomfortable late-night guest of the week. When she talked about the thousands of people who died in a French heatwave? And how it made the Dom Perignon better? That’s live TV, baby.
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