Ep 6. Reinventing Late Night

In the sixth episode of The Story of Late Night Season 1, titled "Reinventing Late Night," the focus is on the period of late-night television in the 2000s and how different hosts tried to make their mark and redefine the genre.

The episode starts by examining the early years of Jon Stewart's tenure on The Daily Show, which began in 1999 but really started to gain popularity and critical acclaim during the early 2000s. Stewart's unique brand of political satire and commentary on current events was a stark departure from the more traditional monologue-based humor of other late-night talk shows, and he quickly became a voice of authority and reason during tumultuous times.

From there, the episode delves into the rise of reality television and its impact on late-night programming. Many shows, such asThe Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night with Conan O'Brien, turned to airing segments that parodied or commented on popular reality shows like Survivor and The Bachelor. This helped to keep their viewers engaged and show that they were capable of adapting to changing trends.

The episode also explores the impact of the internet on late-night programming, particularly the rise of viral videos and how they created new opportunities for late-night shows to gain attention and viewership. One example is the popular segment "Mean Tweets" on Jimmy Kimmel Live, where celebrities read and react to mean comments about themselves on Twitter. It quickly became a viral sensation and helped to keep Kimmel's show relevant in the digital age.

Finally, the episode touches on the changes to late-night television that came in the wake of the 2007-2008 Writers Guild of America strike. Many shows were forced to rely on improvised, ad-libbed material, which showed the strengths and weaknesses of individual hosts and helped to establish a more conversational tone in late-night talk shows.

Overall, "Reinventing Late Night" is an episode that examines how late-night television evolved and adapted during a time of significant change in American culture and media. It provides insight into the creative and business decisions that went into some of the most beloved late-night shows of the 2000s and offers a glimpse into the challenges and opportunities that still face the genre in the present day.