The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore
Genre Comedy, news satire, talk show
Created by Jon Stewart
Directed by Andre Allen
Presented by Larry Wilmore
Starring Holly Walker
Ricky Velez
Mike Yard
Rory Albanese
Grace Parra
Jordan Carlos
Franchesca Ramsey
Robin Thede
No. of seasons 2
No. of episodes 212 (as of April 28, 2016)[1] (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producer(s) Larry Wilmore
Jon Stewart
Rory Albanese
Editor(s) Nick Mougis
Duncan Pettigrew
Amanda Sprecher
Location(s) Hell's Kitchen, New York City, New York
Running time 22 minutes
Production company(s) Busboy Productions
Release
Original network Comedy Central
Picture format 1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Original release January 19, 2015 (2015-01-19) – present
Chronology
Related shows The Daily Show
External links
Website

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore is an American late-night panel talk show hosted by Larry Wilmore. The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore is a spin-off of The Daily Show, which featured Wilmore as a recurring contributor. It premiered on January 19, 2015 on Comedy Central, and airs Monday through Thursday at 11:30 PM (ET) following The Daily Show. It serves as a replacement for The Colbert Report, which aired in the same time-slot from October 2005 until December 2014.

The show has been described as a combination of The Daily Show and Politically Incorrect. It features Wilmore's scripted take on the news, followed by a panel discussion and later in most episodes a game with his guests. The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore has received a generally positive reception from critics, but ratings have fallen since Jon Stewart left The Daily Show.[2]

History

The 11:30 PM (ET) time-slot for Mondays through Thursdays on Comedy Central had previously been occupied by The Colbert Report, another spin-off of The Daily Show, which was hosted by Stephen Colbert, and premiered on October 17, 2005. In 2012 Comedy Central renewed Jon Stewart's contract to host The Daily Show through the end of 2015 and Colbert's contract to host The Colbert Report through the end of 2014.[3] Colbert intentionally had his contract synced up with David Letterman's contract to host Late Show with David Letterman for CBS, so they would both expire at the same time;[4] in the event Letterman chose to retire, Colbert would be available to take over the show.[5] On April 3, 2014, Letterman announced on his show that he will retire in 2015.[6] On April 10, 2014, it was announced that Colbert would leave Comedy Central at the end of 2014 and replace Letterman as the host of Late Show on CBS beginning in 2015.[7] The final episode of The Colbert Report aired on December 18, 2014.

On May 9, 2014, it was announced that Wilmore had been selected to host a show to air in the 11:30 PM time-slot for Mondays through Thursdays on Comedy Central beginning in 2015.[8][9] Wilmore, like Colbert, had been a long-running cast member on The Daily Show prior to getting a spin-off.[10] He had worked as a contributor on the show since August 2006; he served as the "Senior Black Correspondent" and also ran "Wilmore-Oliver Investigates" alongside John Oliver. The original title of the show was going to be The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore, which was suggested by Jon Stewart. It was later changed as a result of receiving backlash from Fox as they intend to use the same title for an upcoming series based on the 2002 film of the same name, Wilmore later stated he was happy with the title change.[11]

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore is the third late-night show to be hosted by a cast member from The Daily Show, behind The Colbert Report and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, which is hosted by John Oliver for HBO.[12] Samantha Bee followed Wilmore as the fourth Daily Show alum to host a show with the debut of Full Frontal with Samantha Bee in February 2016 (although her show airs in prime-time, not late-night).

Production

The set of The Nightly Show

Jon Stewart pitched the idea to Comedy Central of giving Wilmore a show to air during the 11:30 PM time-slot after his show. According to the network president, Stewart said it would be the ideal time-slot for a show with a different format that would "provide an opportunity for the underrepresented voices out there".[8] The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore is produced by Stewart's production company, Busboy Productions. Stewart, Wilmore, and former The Daily Show showrunner Rory Albanese serve as executive producers.[13] Wilmore had been slated to be showrunner on the ABC sitcom Black-ish (on which he is now billed as a consulting producer), but had to decline so he would be available to host The Nightly Show.[8]

The studio used to tape the show is the same one that was used for The Daily Show until July 2005[14] and for The Colbert Report throughout its entire run.[15] The studio is located at 513 W. 54th Street, New York, NY 10019 in New York City's Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. NEP Studio 54 on 54th Street is owned by NEP Broadcasting, which is New York City's largest production facility, and also owns The Daily Show set at NEP Studio 52 two blocks south on 52nd Street. Aside from the set, the show's production offices have been described as "loft-like" and "all overhead pipes and exposed brick".[16]

Writers and contributors

Jon Stewart is the Creator as well as an Executive Producer on the show. Since episode 160, Tom Ruprecht has served as the Head Writer. The other writers of the show are Rory Albanese (also Executive Producer), Jordan Carlos, Lee H. Ellenberg (episodes 213-present), Bobby Gaylor, Jack Helmuth, Michael Pielocik, Cord Jefferson (episodes 1-196), Amy Ozols, Franchesca Ramsey (episodes 169-present), Tim Siedell, Sasha Stewart, Robin Thede (also head writer: episodes 1-159), Holly Walker, Jeremy Weiner (episodes 213-present), Colleen Werthmann, Matt Whitaker (episodes 117-present) and Larry Wilmore (also Executive Producer).

The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore features a cast of contributors to help add different perspectives to the show and aid in comedy bits.[17][18] The contributors include Robin Thede, Rory Albanese, Holly Walker, Jordan Carlos, Ricky Velez,[18] Mike Yard,[18] Grace Parra[19] and Franchesca Ramsey (since episode 169).[20] Shenaz Treasury was a contributor between January and May 2015.

Format

The show's format has been described as a combination of The Daily Show and Politically Incorrect. The show begins with a scripted take on the news by Wilmore, followed by a panel discussion led by Wilmore, in which he discusses a particular predetermined topic with his guests. The roster changes with each show, but thus far has featured comedians, journalists, politicians, and authors. Sometimes the opening news segment is omitted in favor of a longer panel discussion.[21] In most episodes the main discussion is followed by a game with the panel (hosted by Larry) relating to the topic discussed. Monday episodes used to feature Jon Stewart talking to Wilmore at the end of The Daily Show leading into The Nightly Show, a practice also used during the early years of The Colbert Report.

On the format, Wilmore said "I'm not interested in doing a show where I give my opinion and people react to my opinion. Our show is more about the discovery of things. I want people who will teach me something." He also predicted that some people might change their minds on certain issues after hearing the different arguments in depth.[17]

Recurring segments

Reception

Initial reviews

Upon its debut, The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore received generally positive reviews. On Metacritic the first season currently holds a 69 out 100 rating, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[22] Brian Lowry of Variety wrote that the show's premiere "showed promise," commenting, "Wilmore exhibited a quickness and light touch about sensitive topics, yet struggled to bring much coherence or flow to the overpopulated discussion that took up most of the premiere."[23] David Kallison of The A.V. Club concurred with this sentiment, remarking, "He is more traffic cop than travel guide in this first episode, but his inherent wit and quickness shines through regardless," deeming the debut a "triumph."[24] USA Today's Robert Bianco opined that "Wilmore already seemed completely comfortable as the show's host, as well he should be," calling it a "solid start."[25] Don Kaplan of the Daily News said the program was a "welcome addition" to late-night television, summarizing, "While the program as a whole has room to grow, Wilmore's comedy is sharp, solid and filled with keen observations and strong enough to have earned him the distinction of being the only high-profile black voice in late night television."[26]

The Hollywood Reporter's Tim Goodman wrote that the show's premiere was: "predictably strong [...] the slight nitpicking should not obscure the fact that overall Wilmore was funny; his show was smart and thoughtful, has a bright future and seems an excellent fit with Stewart and the Comedy Central brand."[27]

Wilmore paid a special tribute to Colbert during the closing of the first episode by thanking him for "making 11:30 special." Following the debut of the first episode Stephen Colbert praised The Nightly Show on Twitter, saying he was impressed, and using the hashtag "keepingit100."[28]

Ratings

The debut episode was watched by 963,000 viewers in its original broadcast in the United States.[29][30] The show has averaged 417,000 viewers a night, within its first three months in the key demographic of viewers ages 18 to 49. In March, the show's total viewings were down 38% from the average total of 1.24 million viewers received by The Colbert Report.[31][32]

In June 2015, the show's total 676,000 viewers average is down 45% from the average total of 1.24 million viewers received by The Colbert Report.[33] The show's average 230,000 viewers in the key demographic of ages 18 to 49 a night is down 45% from the 417,000 viewers its first 3 months averaged.[33][34]

In August, International Business Times reported that Nightly's ratings were in a "freefall" due to losing its Daily Show lead-in audience (Daily had gone on a seven-week hiatus before Trevor Noah's debut as host) and lacking online viral hits.[2] Nielsen showed Wilmore's ratings down 40% since Stewart's departure as Daily Show host.[2]

Average live viewers: [35]

  • January 2015: 885,000
  • February 2015: 849,000
  • March 2015: 726,000
  • April 2015: 634,000
  • May 2015: 615,000
  • June 2015: 708,000
  • July 2015: 773,000
  • August 2015: 605,000
  • September 2015: 405,000
  • October 2015: 489,000
  • November 2015: 489,000
  • December 2015: 516,000
  • January 2016: 511,000
  • February 2016: 564,000
  • March 2016: 548,000
  • April 2016: 527,000

Bill Nye controversy

Controversy erupted when, during a panel in September 2015 about NASA's discovery of water on Mars featuring Bill Nye, comedians Ricky Velez and Michelle Buteau were interrupting Nye and denying interest of the discovery. Nick Venable of CinemaBlend.com called the telecast "insipid," adding "if anybody out there is watching The Nightly Show for science information – and that's a long shot since the show's ratings aren't that strong anyway – then you're doing it wrong."[36]

When Wilmore did a Reddit AMA in February 2016, outrage over the Nye segment dominated most of the discussion, with more than 1,000 comments specifically criticizing the show's treatment of Nye, characterized by Adweek's David Griner as the moment that many thought the show "turned away from Stephen Colbert's legacy of intellectualism."[37] In response, Wilmore was surprised by the outcry, "It was just a conversation," he wrote on Reddit. "People are allowed to have a point of view. Bill Nye had a great time on that panel. He's been on the show a couple of times. People are allowed to have opinions. For the life of me, I really don't understand why people are so upset that someone would disagree with Bill Nye. I was on Bill's side of that, but still, who cares? It's just a conversation."[37] Bill Nye has since appeared on the show, making light of the incident. [38]

International broadcast

In Australia, the show airs on The Comedy Channel within 24 hours of the American broadcast.[39] In Canada, the show airs on The Comedy Network in simulcast with the Comedy Central airing in the United States.[40]

See also

References

  1. ↑ The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore at epguides.
  2. 1 2 3 Willens, Max. "Larry Wilmore Ratings Struggle: 'Nightly Show,' Lacking Viral Hits, In Freefall Following Jon Stewart’s Finale." International Business Times. 2015-08-26. Retrieved 2015-10-09.
  3. ↑ "Jon Stewart, Stephen Colbert Extend Contracts With Comedy Central". The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  4. ↑ Couch, Aaron. "Stephen Colbert will take over for David Letterman in 2015". The Hollywood Reporter.
  5. ↑ Carter, Bill. "Colbert Will Host 'Late Show,' Playing Himself for a Change". The New York Times. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  6. ↑ Littleton, Cynthia. "David Letterman to Retire From CBS in 2015". Variety. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  7. ↑ Zuckerman, Esther (April 10, 2014). "Stephen Colbert Will Take Over for David Letterman". The Wire. Retrieved December 12, 2014.
  8. 1 2 3 Carter, Bill. "A Successor to 'Colbert' Is Named". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  9. ↑ Carter, Bill. "Late Success for Latecomer to Late Night 'The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore' Premieres Jan. 19". The New York Times. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  10. ↑ Rose, Lacey. "UPDATED: Larry Wilmore will host a new weeknight show, "The Minority Report With Larry Wilmore," set to premiere in January.". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 11, 2014.
  11. ↑ Kenneally, Tim. "Larry Wilmore's Comedy Central Show Gets New Title, Premiere Date". TheWrap. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  12. ↑ Milliken, Mary. "John Oliver to debut 'Last Week Tonight' on HBO in late April". The Washington Post. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  13. ↑ Kenneally, Tim. "Former 'Daily Show' Showrunner to Executive Produce Larry Wilmore's Comedy Central Show". TheWrap. Retrieved January 4, 2015.
  14. ↑ Mnookin, Seth (October 2007). "The Man in the Irony Mask". Vanity Fair. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  15. ↑ Gary Levin (November 20, 2014). "Comedy Central sets date for Colbert replacement". USA Today. Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  16. ↑ Kurtz, Howard (October 10, 2005). "TV's Newest Anchor: A Smirk in Progress". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  17. 1 2 Littleton, Cynthia. "Larry Wilmore: 'Nightly Show' Will Blend 'Daily Show,' 'Politically Incorrect' Formats". Variety. Retrieved January 12, 2015.
  18. 1 2 3 Rivera, Joshua. "'The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore' announces its cast of contributors -- exclusive". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 10, 2015.
  19. ↑ Friedlander, Whitney (November 5, 2015). "TV News Roundup: Peter Gallagher Joins 'New Girl,' 'Luther' Special Sets Premiere". Variety. Archived from the original on November 10, 2015.
  20. ↑ Obenson, Tambay A. "'The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore' Taps Franchesca Ramsey as Newest Contributor and Writer". Shadow and Act. Retrieved 2016-02-09.
  21. ↑ Hibberd, James. "Larry Wilmore explains new show format, talks title change". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 11, 2015.
  22. ↑ "The Nightly Show Season 1 Reviews". Retrieved 15 March 2016.
  23. ↑ ""The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore" TV Review on Comedy Central - Variety". Variety. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Review: The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore: "January 19, 2015" · TV Club · The A.V. Club". avclub.com. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  25. ↑ Robert Bianco, USA TODAY (January 20, 2015). "A good 'Nightly' with Larry Wilmore". USA TODAY. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  26. ↑ "'The Nightly Show' tackles racial themes with laughs: review". NY Daily News. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  27. ↑ Tim Goodman. "'The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore': First Impressions". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  28. ↑ Finn, Natalie. "Stephen Colbert Weighs in On The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore After Series Premiere: Tip of the Hat or Wag of the Finger?". E!. Retrieved January 27, 2015.
  29. ↑ de Moraes, Lisa (January 21, 2015). "Larry Wilmore's 'The Nightly Show' Launch Logs 963,000 TV Viewers Monday Night". Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  30. ↑ Bibel, Sara (April 16, 2015). "Late Night TV Ratings For April 6-10, 2015".
  31. ↑ The staff of Mediaite. "Wilmore's Nightly Show First 3 Months Down Nearly 40% from Colbert". Mediaite. Retrieved 26 April 2015.
  32. ↑ Garcia, Tonya. "LARRY WILMORE'S 'THE NIGHTLY SHOW' IS DOWN ALMOST 40% FROM COLBERT IN THE RATINGS". madamenoire. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
  33. 1 2 The staff of tvbythenumbers. "Late Night TV Ratings For June 1-5, 2015". tvbythenumbers. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
  34. ↑ Bibel, Sara (June 29, 2015). "Late Night TV Ratings For April 6-10, 2015".
  35. ↑ "Live Viewers Charts". May 4, 2016.
  36. ↑ http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Watch-Bill-Nye-Repeatedly-Get-Interrupted-He-Tries-Say-Profound-Things-89357.html
  37. 1 2 Griner, David (2016-02-16). "Larry Wilmore's Ratings Are 55% Lower Than The Colbert Report, and This Clip May Prove Why". Adweek. Retrieved 2016-02-27.
  38. ↑ http://www.mediaite.com/tv/bill-nye-returns-to-defend-larry-wilmore-from-criticism-let-that-sht-go/
  39. ↑ Knox, David (December 22, 2014). "Airdate: The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore". TV Tonight. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  40. ↑ "'The Nightly Show' is coming to Comedy!". The Comedy Network. Bell Media. Retrieved January 15, 2015.

External links

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