Michael Schneider Variety Editor at LargeIt’s a race that has been dominated by “Last Week Tonight With John Oliver” since 2016, after Jon Stewart left “The Daily Show.” Ironically, Stewart is back in contention this year with “The Problem With Jon Stewart.” But the larger question of whether Oliver’s dominance may finally be tested comes as the talkers showcase COVID-era creative renaissance.With no audience to play with, James Corden turned to the staff and producers in his empty studio — and made CBS late-night exec Nick Bernstein into a star, as he was the butt of countless jokes and stunts. “The Daily Show” created segments in of the correspondents’ homes, and musical guests left the studio and produced what were essentially mini-music videos for their appearances.
Similarly, “Late Night” host Seth Meyers says he feels like there’s even more authenticity to his show now. Most of the shows finally brought audiences back in studio — including “The Daily Show With Trevor Noah,” which waited until April to do so. “Full Frontal With Samantha Bee,” which relocated to a studio in Connecticut during the pandemic, has opted to continue without an audience.“I think it’s a permanent change for us,” Bee says. “There’s a part of me that misses having people clap.
But I actually don’t think that the experience of watching the show was really guided by that. We could make our processes a little easier and more life-friendly.”Speaking of making things a little more life — and production — friendly, in one more major shift, Showtime’s “Desus & Mero” returned to weekly episodes, rather than twice a week.
Yet, there’s a creative boom that’s refreshing to see. I loved Jimmy Kimmel dusting off an old radio stunt — in which morning.
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