Wanted: Late-night hosts. Must work evenings, play well with others and have an incredibly thick skin.
With Trevor Noah leaving "The Daily Show" on Dec. 8 and James Corden departing "The Late Late Show" sometime next year, two high-profile — and high-pressure — jobs will soon be open.
First, let's eliminate some strong candidates. Amber Ruffin, the breakout star of NBC's "Late Night," has been bandied about as a contender, and with good reason. She's one of the brightest, most original voices in all of comedy. But Ruffin told me this past summer that she's got a rock-solid contract with NBCUniversal and can't imagine competing against her mentor Seth Meyers.
It's also fair to assume that no superstars are going be interested in either gig. I'd love to see Amy Poehler, Chris Rock or Tina Fey step in, but that would be like getting Tom Cruise to join the cast of "General Hospital."
Here are seven names that are real possibilities:
For 'The Daily Show'
Roy Wood Jr.: Hollywood insiders think current correspondents have the inside track. Comedy Central executives are even considering a host rotation. That would be a mistake; viewers like to know who's manning the ship. Wood, a talented stand-up, would be the most obvious choice but if the show wanted a more cynical captain, it would anoint Ronny Chieng.
Samantha Bee: The former correspondent, who got passed over the last time around. proved she can handle hosting duties with the success of the Emmy-nominated "Full Frontal With Samantha Bee." Now that TBS has canceled the show, Bee's dance card is wide open.
Larry Wilmore: Comedy Central owes Wilmore. The network canceled his provocative talk show way too soon, dissing a talent who played a major role in creating gems like "The Bernie Mac Show" and "Insecure." Time to make up for past sins.
Fabrizio Copano: Before taking over the "Daily Show," Noah was a major star in South Africa, but virtually unknown in the States. Copano has a similar background. The comedian has already hosted shows in his home country of Chile but flew under the radar during the recent 10,000 Laughs Festival in Minneapolis. Those lucky enough to catch his act saw a sharp stand-up with a worldly perspective. It'd be fun to watch another outsider grow into the job.
For 'The Late Late Show'
Bryant Gumbel: When David Letterman moved to CBS and controlled the 11:35 p.m. slot, he tapped Tom Snyder, an eccentric personality with a gift for gab. If the network decides to once again use that slot for a more conventional talk show, it would be wise to chat with Gumbel, one of the best TV interviewers of all time. Gumbel, 74, may not be interested. But it doesn't hurt to ask.
Taylor Tomlinson: NBC tried to appeal to young viewers a few years ago by tapping social media personality Lilly Singh to take over the post-Meyers spot. Good idea, wrong personality. YouTube isn't nearly as strong a training camp as comedy clubs. If the network wants a rising star, it should consider the 28-year-old Tomlinson, a phenom who openly discusses sexuality, mental health and religion.
Eric Andre: Letterman gets credit for reinventing the talk-show format but no one tore it apart quite like Ernie Kovacs, who treated the TV set like a laboratory for outrageous experiments. His spirit lives on in Andre, a wild card who owes more to "Jackass" than Johnny Carson. His Adult Swim series, "The Eric Andre Show," would have tested the limits of network standards. But isn't that what the midnight hour is for?
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ABOUT THE WRITER
Neal Justin covers the entertainment world, primarily TV and radio, for the Star Tribune.
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