Conan O’Brien’s giant forehead is like a topographical map of Mars, all red and craggy. Also, Stephen Colbert thinks the extraterrestrial undulations on his face are only heightened, courtesy the local morgue’s lighting. The two late night veterans are firing jabs aplenty on YouTube whilst socially distanced. Ever since production has halted, stars of late night television have been forced to develop stripped-down DIY adaptations of their regular offering. Sans studio lighting, live bands and a full-house audience to applaud and chortle at jokes, they’ve also thrown glamour out the window. Instead, they are the new ‘it’ YouTubers. In complying with ‘the show must go on’ adage, these hosts with the most(s) have taken the challenge head on, whether it is to raise funds to fight the virus or simply just brighten someone’s day. Side note: Lady Gaga recently used these hosts to announce her Covid-19 fundraiser, ‘The One World: Together At Home’.
Peers and politics
While some late night heroes have outwitted their obstacles, others have buckled under the pressure. For instance, long before he swallowed Colbert’s scathing remarks like a champ, O’Brien proved himself to be the king of web exclusive content, even branching out into the incredibly popular podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend . While, Team Coco’s (his YouTube channel) videos get a few lakh views soon after release, it is his after-show that cruises into the millions. His latest shenanigan, shot by himself, includes checking in on staff member Jordan Schlansky, who is often accused by O’Brien of being a robot. This time it is Schlansky’s alternatives to toilet paper that earns his boss’ ridicule. Spoiler alert: Indians do it all the time! Plus, it sparked an intellectually stimulating debate on post-ablution cleanliness in the comments, with gems like “shower gel or soap and just wash it like you would your underarms...”.
Those that rely on political humour to snag those ratings continue with the usual monologue – these days it is mostly about a certain Cheeto’s inability to handle a crisis. Colbert, who is high up on the political humour ranking, pulls out all the stops: submerging himself suit-clad in a bathtub, and getting his kids to do his make-up as he cracks the jokes. Of course, now he’s upped the game with a satellite truck and a minimal production crew, much to the envy of both O’Brien and Last Week Tonight ’s John Oliver. But in spite of his high-tech prowess, there have been glitches: Daniel Radcliffe went mute because of technology issues and we got to see Colbert pull off some primo miming.
Unlike his peers’ colourful antics, lone Oliver reports from a white void, relying entirely on a team on Zoom and some graphics to get his show going from scratch. With no help from his kids, who are teetering grenades hooked onto the show The Octonauts, Oliver, clad in sweats stained with peanut butter and baby drool, is free to curse and quite enjoys the quiet of being audience-free. “This is completely fine for me, it doesn’t affect me at all,” quips the host who says “an English stand-up audience” is way worse than silence.
Pursuit of happiness
Meanwhile, Trevor Noah, now known as sweatshirt king, continues with his commentary on political affairs on the rechristened, The Daily Social Distancing Show . But he has also introduced something called ‘Ray of Sunshine’. Good news in these dark times could include the clear sky New Delhi is enjoying, almost like a makeover courtesy Queer Eye ’s Fab Five. “You’ve being hiding yourself under so many layers of smog, you’ve got to let yourself shine, gurl,” croons Noah alongside a floating head of the Netflix show’s grooming expert, Jonathan Van Ness. With over 17 lakh views, it is safe to say he’s doing something right.
Following suit is the ever-so-charming Seth Meyers, whose own ‘The Kind of Story We Need Right Now’ premiered the tale of The Industrious Spirit Company in Rhode Island. Their noble efforts include manufacturing and giving away hand sanitiser for free while continuing their production of vodka. “I’m so psyched... we do need both,” quips Meyers.
In the deep sea of testosterone that rules late night television, Samantha Bee represents team oestrogen. Her Little Show in the Big Woods — yes, she’s so rich her backyard looks like a forest — is filmed by the safe minimal crew of her husband. Bee makes sure to tackle women’s issues during the pandemic, like domestic abuse, abortion rights and mental labour. And finds time to chop wood and hunt animated bears with toilet paper. “Parents have to balance working from home, caregiving, meal planning and suddenly being expected to lovingly bathe their groceries... If it goes in the mouth, wash it down south,” she says emphasising that is burdening women everywhere.
Family ties
Comedy and celebrity voyeurism, it seems, trumps information and politics. Humour, after all, is a balm in crisis. But a peek into the lives of the rich and famous seems to be the clear winner of the quarantine culture war. The Jimmys of late night, who rely mostly on guests and games, now rope in their family to grab eyeballs. It is working and how. When Fallon’s adorable girls aren’t interrupting his show wanting gummy bears, he’s telling the world about falling in love with his wife. Or he is whooshing down an indoor slide, artwork in hand, in lieu of opening credits.
Kimmel opts to play Who Wants to Be a Millionaire — which he will host very soon — with his daughter Jane and son Billy. The questions are ridiculously cute: which animal eats a banana and what does an elephant have on its trunk. Meanwhile, guests like Ellen Degeneres (who stirred up controversy for comparing quarantine in her $27 million mansion to being in jail) and the cast of Modern Family ahead of their series finale, rake in views totalling more than a lakh mere hours after release.
Not to be left behind, Hasan Minhaj and his newly-christened Hasan from a Distance, with his wife as camera person, has a book club with his daughter and cuddles with his newborn son. With no definitive end to the lockdown in sight, the new normal, it seems, is taking on a very homemade flavour.
