There were two big, notable things in late-night TV this week. Well, three, if you count Amy Poehler having the best fit of the week on Late Night. No. 1: Tony Award campaigning! We saw performances from The Outsiders and Illinoise, with presumable future Tony nominee Cole Escola on The Tonight Show.
The other big moment was Kamala Harris on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and the protest of said booking by Code Pink. The VP’s appearance on late night was protested by a group of peace activists speaking out against the war in Gaza. If you watched the show or the YouTube link of Harris’s interview, you wouldn’t know there had even been a protest, but if you saw the other clip that made the rounds afterward, you know what really happened: The protesters said their piece, and Kimmel let his crew handle it with minimal commentary. As American public life continues to polarize, this type of parallel experience will only happen more and more. Shit is wild, and there is no monoculture waiting to absorb aftershocks anymore. Just ask ice-cream-enjoyer Seth Meyers. Here’s what else stuck out in late night this week.
5. Ariana Grande Shows Off a New Mask on The Tonight Show
When Ariana Grande performs on The Tonight Show, that’s a must-see moment. The last time I was so gagged by an Ari x late night collab, it was her performance of “Imagine.†Again, backed up by the Roots. She debuted a kitty-cat mask for this song, harking back to the bunny ears of Dangerous Woman. Congrats to Grande for acknowledging her predator-animal status, and hats off to the Roots for once again framing her perfectly. They’re a perfect match, that singer and that band. It’s a real Frank Sinatra x Tommy Dorsey Band situation.
4. Stephen Merchant Monologues on The Late Show
Disguising prepared stand-up material as talk-show chat is a rarefied, historic art. Stephen Merchant’s material about going to American Thanksgiving at Mick Jagger’s house stands out. It’s an incredible story, he delivers it well, and Stephen Colbert sets it up and gets out of the way. It feels so organic, especially because Merchant sort of plunges forward, disregarding laughs. Just a great, classic late-night moment, done with grace and flair. Props to Colbert for getting his big question out (“Isn’t it weird the British Office is called the ‘British Office’ ’cause y’all were first?â€), then letting Merchant do his tight five. Everyone’s happy!
3. Chris Colfer Is Here Because of the Contract
Everything about this clip is delightful. Chris Colfer acknowledging that his current book will have sequels, primarily because the contract he signed demands it! Both he and Seth Meyers making funny noises with their mouths! The oddly jaded energy Colfer gives as someone who has found another thing to identify with apart from Glee! A lot of showbiz is happening here, and I’m loving every second of it.
2. Martin Lawrence Discussing Asses in 30 Rock
Live From New York readers will remember: Martin Lawrence was allegedly banned from Saturday Night Live for talking about women “washing they ass.†The Martin Lawrence Ass-Washing Diatribe is legend, spoken of in hushed whispers and mocked by Jon Hamm in his second SNL monologue. But now, 30 years later, Lawrence is once again discussing ass in Rockefeller Center. This time, it’s a fictional (spoilers!) actor who’s been on the olestra diet, but an ass is an ass, and screen time is screen time. Watching Lawrence and Will Smith read each other as old friends is a joy to behold — and an even bigger joy for those who know their late-night history.
1. Clickbait Wins Again!
John Oliver discussed Narendra Modi this week, a topic that needs more attention in Western media. It’s such a pressing topic that this is actually the third time Last Week Tonight has brought him up. And the first time Oliver discussed Modi happened to be the first episode of the show, ever. Delightfully, Oliver took his own show out of context, making it seem like he was big-upping Hitler in his premiere, when he was actually decrying a faction of Modi’s supporters for big-upping Hitler. To bait the recap/hot-take culture, it’s too fun. It’s like if the bear was in on the joke in Elizabethan England.
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