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Colbert sees a surge, has now surpassed Fallon for #1 late-night talk show

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Trojita

Trojita

Rapid Response Threadmaker
http://variety.com/2017/tv/news/stephen-colbert-late-show-ratings-2-1201992946/

August was not the hottest month for Stephen Colbert. Ratings for CBS’ “The Late Show” — which had been on a steady slide since shortly after Colbert’s debut as host in 2015 — hit a new low, with the monthly total-viewer average slipping below 2 million for the first time. If its trajectory continued, Colbert’s “Late Show,” already far behind Jimmy Fallon and NBC’s “The Tonight Show,” was in danger of falling into third place in the ratings wars below ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live.” Fallon appeared primed for a long reign as king of late night.

Six months later, Colbert has the industry watching the throne.

The former host of Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report” is on a streak that just recently seemed unthinkable — three straight weeks of topping Fallon. After airing reruns the week of Jan. 23, “The Late Show” returned Jan. 30 and averaged slightly more than 2.77 million total viewers for the week, edging out Fallon’s not-quite 2.76 million. The next week, Colbert averaged more than 3 million, and Fallon less than 2.88 million. For the week of Feb. 13, “Late Show” topped “Tonight” again, 3.00 million to 2.71 million.

The shift comes at the convergence of two long ratings arcs — Colbert’s upward, Fallon’s downward. In January, “The Late Show” averaged nearly 2.54 million viewers, up 30% since August. Fallon is down 5% over the same period. Over a lengthier period, Fallon’s viewer loss is more severe. Versus January 2016, “The Tonight Show” is down 14%. “The Late Show” is up 3%.

So what has happened in the past year that could have set the stage for a fundamental change in the late-night television landscape? There is one thing.

“Fallon has had a lack of pointed humor,” says Katz Television Group’s Bill Carroll, “whereas Colbert has gone full to the wall on Trump.”
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giphy.gif
 
C

caliph95

Member
So Trump has done wonders to employment to SNL, Cobert, Meyers, Bee. What are you going to say about that liberals.

Though don't care about Fallon he was never funny.
 
S

Sanjuro

Member
This is now the perfect time for CBS to can Colbert and slide in James Corden to the #1 Late Night show.

He sings in a car, people.
 
M

Malajax

Member
If it counts for anything, I watch the monologue clips on YouTube pretty much every day. He's been on fire lately.
 
M

Metroidvania

People called Romanes they go the house?
Yeah, saw this the other day.

IIRC it was argued (not proven by anything in the article) that taking a lot of casual Trump digs (and just keeping up on the situation) has done wonder for Colbert, while Fallon's.....skits and such haven't been keeping up nearly as well with the viewers.
 
C

CHC

Member
Well, Fallon sucks, so good.

I'm not really one to hold a single mistake against someone's entire career (everyone in the public eye is entitled to a screw-up or two), but the Trump segment was just disgustingly normalizing. A symbolic moment, but embarrassing for Fallon. I don't find him funny anyway, but that was really, really bad.
 
P

Plinko

Wildcard berths that can't beat teams without a winning record should have homefield advantage
Sanjuro said:
This is now the perfect time for CBS to can Colbert and slide in James Corden to the #1 Late Night show.

He sings in a car, people.
Click to expand...

LOL please no. He's worse than Fallon.

I like Colbert. CBS tried to do something different with him, but it wasn't what people liked about him.
 
F

Fury451

Banned
I really dislike Fallon but besides his interviews, I haven't been all that taken with Colbert either. It's basically Colbert Report Lite, but less funny. Maybe I'm just cranky.
 
C

ClosingADoor

Member
Fallon was funny for some of the games he did with guests, but it got old and boring after a while. Colbert is just more funny and interesting to watch overall with the interviews en monologue.
 
A

ahoyhoy

Unconfirmed Member
Usobuko said:
His actual personality is kinda down to earth, perceptive and empathetic.
Click to expand...

Colbert is that college roommate you occasionally stay up late sipping wine and talking about all manner of politics, philosophy, history and ethics with.

Fallon is the college roommate that will occasionally stumble out of his room to interrupt you and ask if you had some rolling papers.
 
L

Loxley

Member
Fallon has been playing it way too safe imo regarding his monologues, I like that Colbert hasn't been holding back.

Though Seth Meyers is still my favorite Late Night host.
 
LordOfChaos

LordOfChaos

Member
Thanks, Trump, literally.


His humour on the late show never really worked with me, found the whole schtick low brow, but the trump rants keep me coming. I never watched the Late Show before him though so that's probably it, was a fan of the Colbert Report.


Fallon was number 1? Oof, I find him a train of cringe.
 
C

Camwi

Member
Good. It's nice to see an actually funny host with talent win in the ratings for once.

Fuck Fallon and fuck Leno before him.
 
Hari Seldon

Hari Seldon

Member
When the political situations changes he is going back down. He is a terribly boring host at everything except politics.
 
T

TumblingHippo

Member
Petting the Trump should mark Fallon for the rest of his career. Every time something bad happens because of the T administration, that gif will be sure to follow.
 
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