Bill Carter: How Jimmy Fallon Crushed Stephen Colbert (and Everyone Else in Late Night):
This article goes to great pains attempting to explain why Stephen Colbert is failing in ratings.. One theory even says he is too smart for his audience.
I disagree.
If you read back in the annals of this website, I predicted it would fail.. I thought this was a moment for CBS to name a female host for late night.. It was the moment. They blew it.
People don’t like politics at night. For that, they turn to the DAILY SHOW. For late night, they want silly lip synch battles, or as David Letterman once did, sidewalk races..
People want something to make their minds forget the day before bed.
Colbert reminds them of everything about the day they hated.
And that is why they turned to Fallon and will not turn away.
My brother is going to see Jimmy in January! But I miss watching Leno, late nights with my grandpa.
I actually miss the 1990s David Letterman. The 2000s he mellowed and got boring. As a very young child I remember getting to love late night because of Johnny Carson. On Friday nights I’d stay up really late for Carson and then Letterman on Late Night. The newest late night hosts, Jimmy Fallon included, just don’t meet the past legends for me..
Take a look at this video and tell me you don’t laugh:
I find this very disheartening. I love Colbert’s whole approach, his guest choices and the musical guests. I ENJOY that he is a man of MANY talents, not just his improve, singing and dancing background–but that he is truly a brilliant man. Fallon is baby food. He is the Golden Retriever host who panders to his guests and plays silly games. I never watch it, for those reasons.