Top 10 Women Who Could Host a Late Night Talk Show Right Now
If you heard a heavy sigh from talk show fans all over the United States when CBS announced the next host of the Late Late Show, there’s a pretty good reason for it. With absolutely no disrespect to the very talented James Corden, it was a bit of a bummer to see another young white guy land behind the desk of a late night talk show.
A lot of folks - and include this folk among them - were hoping a woman would land the role. Especially considering the departure of Chelsea Handler from late night eliminates any semblance of gender diversity in the after-11 p.m. landscape. (Add to that the cancellation of The Arsenio Hall Show and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell and there is little to no diversity at night.)
The most vocal critic recently is Kathy Griffin, who has hosted, co-hosted and guest hosted more than one talk show (including her own late night entry). Griffin voiced her frustration shortly after the death of former talk show host Joan Rivers. Rivers called the lack of female representation in late night television “beyond frustrating.”
Griffin lamented circumstances even more after she approached Late Late Show producers about the gig and was rebuked with an alleged “They’re not considering females at this time.”
Now the lack of female representation in late night is beyond discouraging. It’s embarrassing. Even shameful. Ridiculous when you consider the sheer amount of talent that any network could engage by hiring any one of the women in the list below.
Make no mistake. While this list compiles my personal Top 10 women who could host a late night talk show right now, there are dozens more out there. Maybe if we keep pointing them out, someone somewhere will take notice.
Let’s start with this movement’s biggest champion. Griffin had great success in primetime on the Bravo network and her sense of humor is perfect for late night television. She’s a pop culture junkie, willing to say whatever comes to mind and is an accomplished stand-up. Perfect for late night.
I know she’s already on The View. But Whoopi’s talents have always been better suited for late night television. I won’t go so far as to say she’s wasted on daytime television (I’ll always see her as the stand-up comedian I loved on Comic Relief and her HBO specials), but she would certainly burn brighter after 11:30 p.m. Really, you could say the same for Rosie O’Donnell, too. She helped rejuvenate daytime television, but could destroy a room in late night. Perfect for late night.
Schumer was on our Top 5 list to replace Craig Ferguson on the Late Late Show. She also said recently she would love to host a talk show. Fans of her Comedy Central show, Inside Amy Schumer, know she has sharp interview skills and a quick wit. Her humor is edgy and dry, too. Perfect for late night.
Take a look at Chris Hardwick on The Talking Dead or @midnight. Or better still, her natural SNL counterpart, Jimmy Fallon. Fey has the same style and sensibility - a little nerdy, a good mix of high-brow and low-brow comedy, and a solid career in the industry. Perfect for late night.
Beautiful and funny. What’s not to love? Like a few of our suggestions, Tyler is already ensconced in the world of talk shows. She’s a co-host on The Talk and the host of primetime’s Whose Line is it Anyway? But give her a desk and some time to figure out stand-up, and she can cut it with Corden or Meyers. Perfect for late night.
Where Fey matches Fallon, Poehler matches Seth Meyers. They are peas in a pod. Plus, Poehler got her start on late night television, as a member of the Late Night cast, when Conan O’Brien was host. She’s absolutely perfect for late night.
Remember “I’m #^@(*&% Matt Damon”? You know that was all Silverman right? There’s a reason I compared Fey to Fallon, Poehler to Meyers and now Silverman to ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel. It’s to show how obvious it is that there are equally - and often far more - talented female comedians and talk show hosts. Silverman could follow Kimmel with a solid late night entry - then take over as soon as her ratings top his. Perfect for late night.
Truth is, you could pluck nearly any actress from SNL over the last two decades and they would crush it in late night. We add Rudolph to a list that already includes Fey and Poehler, but with good reason. She goofy, she likable, she’s approachable and comfortable in front of a camera and on a set. Nevermind that she played a talk show host on NBC’s short-lived Up All Night. Perfect for late night.
Even cable is dominated by male talk show hosts. While Comedy Central adds a bit of diversity to its late night lineup when Larry Wilmore takes over for Stephen Colbert, it still would’ve been nice if the network gave Samantha Bee a shot. Bee is the best correspondent on The Daily Show and could host a companion show - maybe in the style of Rachel Maddow - easily. Perfect for late night.
You don’t know Emily Spivey. But you didn’t know Conan O’Brien, either. Spivey is a comedy writer and television producer who cut her teeth on SNL and has written for King of the Hill and Parks & Rec. She’s writing for Modern Family now. If late night producers can cross their fingers with folks like O’Brien, Fallon and, now, Corden, why not a proven talent like Spivey? Perfect for late night.
A lot of folks - and include this folk among them - were hoping a woman would land the role. Especially considering the departure of Chelsea Handler from late night eliminates any semblance of gender diversity in the after-11 p.m. landscape. (Add to that the cancellation of The Arsenio Hall Show and Totally Biased with W. Kamau Bell and there is little to no diversity at night.)
The most vocal critic recently is Kathy Griffin, who has hosted, co-hosted and guest hosted more than one talk show (including her own late night entry). Griffin voiced her frustration shortly after the death of former talk show host Joan Rivers. Rivers called the lack of female representation in late night television “beyond frustrating.”
Griffin lamented circumstances even more after she approached Late Late Show producers about the gig and was rebuked with an alleged “They’re not considering females at this time.”
Now the lack of female representation in late night is beyond discouraging. It’s embarrassing. Even shameful. Ridiculous when you consider the sheer amount of talent that any network could engage by hiring any one of the women in the list below.
Make no mistake. While this list compiles my personal Top 10 women who could host a late night talk show right now, there are dozens more out there. Maybe if we keep pointing them out, someone somewhere will take notice.
1. Kathy Griffin
Let’s start with this movement’s biggest champion. Griffin had great success in primetime on the Bravo network and her sense of humor is perfect for late night television. She’s a pop culture junkie, willing to say whatever comes to mind and is an accomplished stand-up. Perfect for late night.
2. Whoopi Goldberg
I know she’s already on The View. But Whoopi’s talents have always been better suited for late night television. I won’t go so far as to say she’s wasted on daytime television (I’ll always see her as the stand-up comedian I loved on Comic Relief and her HBO specials), but she would certainly burn brighter after 11:30 p.m. Really, you could say the same for Rosie O’Donnell, too. She helped rejuvenate daytime television, but could destroy a room in late night. Perfect for late night.
3. Amy Schumer
Schumer was on our Top 5 list to replace Craig Ferguson on the Late Late Show. She also said recently she would love to host a talk show. Fans of her Comedy Central show, Inside Amy Schumer, know she has sharp interview skills and a quick wit. Her humor is edgy and dry, too. Perfect for late night.
4. Tina Fey
Take a look at Chris Hardwick on The Talking Dead or @midnight. Or better still, her natural SNL counterpart, Jimmy Fallon. Fey has the same style and sensibility - a little nerdy, a good mix of high-brow and low-brow comedy, and a solid career in the industry. Perfect for late night.
5. Aisha Tyler
Beautiful and funny. What’s not to love? Like a few of our suggestions, Tyler is already ensconced in the world of talk shows. She’s a co-host on The Talk and the host of primetime’s Whose Line is it Anyway? But give her a desk and some time to figure out stand-up, and she can cut it with Corden or Meyers. Perfect for late night.
6. Amy Poehler
Where Fey matches Fallon, Poehler matches Seth Meyers. They are peas in a pod. Plus, Poehler got her start on late night television, as a member of the Late Night cast, when Conan O’Brien was host. She’s absolutely perfect for late night.
7. Sarah Silverman
Remember “I’m #^@(*&% Matt Damon”? You know that was all Silverman right? There’s a reason I compared Fey to Fallon, Poehler to Meyers and now Silverman to ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel. It’s to show how obvious it is that there are equally - and often far more - talented female comedians and talk show hosts. Silverman could follow Kimmel with a solid late night entry - then take over as soon as her ratings top his. Perfect for late night.
8. Maya Rudolph
Truth is, you could pluck nearly any actress from SNL over the last two decades and they would crush it in late night. We add Rudolph to a list that already includes Fey and Poehler, but with good reason. She goofy, she likable, she’s approachable and comfortable in front of a camera and on a set. Nevermind that she played a talk show host on NBC’s short-lived Up All Night. Perfect for late night.
9. Samantha Bee
Even cable is dominated by male talk show hosts. While Comedy Central adds a bit of diversity to its late night lineup when Larry Wilmore takes over for Stephen Colbert, it still would’ve been nice if the network gave Samantha Bee a shot. Bee is the best correspondent on The Daily Show and could host a companion show - maybe in the style of Rachel Maddow - easily. Perfect for late night.
10. Emily Spivey
You don’t know Emily Spivey. But you didn’t know Conan O’Brien, either. Spivey is a comedy writer and television producer who cut her teeth on SNL and has written for King of the Hill and Parks & Rec. She’s writing for Modern Family now. If late night producers can cross their fingers with folks like O’Brien, Fallon and, now, Corden, why not a proven talent like Spivey? Perfect for late night.
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