In April 2022, James Corden announced that he would be stepping down from his duties at "The Late Late Show" after hosting the late-night staple since 2015. Many speculated about who would take his spot as the successor to Tom Snyder, Craig Kilborn, and Craig Ferguson in the 12:35 a.m. time slot on CBS' schedule. But as we move closer to Corden's final days on the show, which are scheduled to air in spring 2023, no one has officially emerged as the next host. And it appears that the reason for this is that the network is doing away with the series entirely in favor of a fan-favorite format that debuted a decade ago that was canceled after 600 episodes.
Points if you guessed "@midnight."
According to Deadline, CBS is bringing the improvisational internet-themed panel game show out of Viacom storage and refreshing it for a whole new audience. The reboot will be a collaboration between comedy brand Funny Or Die and executive producer Stephen Colbert, who is slowly taking over late-night television due to his roles on "The Late Show" (which will lead into the all-new "@midnight") and the Comedy Central shows "Tooning Out The News" and "Hell of a Week with Charlamagne Tha God."
And though no host has been named so far, we have a pretty good idea about who it won't be.
A Rock And A Hard(wick) Place
The original incarnation of "@midnight" saw a three-guest panel (usually comedians) discuss current events by competing in a series of improv games like "eBay Price Is Right," "JuggalOK Cupid," and "Tumblr? I Hardly Know Her." Of course, there was also arguably the most popular game, "Hashtag Wars," which would engage with people that weren't watching, but simply scrolling through Twitter. But since the show ended in 2017, internet trends have changed and new social media platforms have risen to prominence. So while games like these are likely to make a comeback once the revival surfaces, we may not see these exact games.
Similarly, we likely won't see former host Chris Hardwick either. The Deadline report notes specifically that he "is not expected to have direct involvement." And there's a good reason for that. In 2018, ex-girlfriend Chloe Dykstra came forward about Hardwick's history of emotional and sexual abuse. The podcaster, comedian, and pop culture personality was unseated from his roles as San Diego Comic-Con moderator, Nerdist figurehead, and "Talking Dead" host. Though AMC reinstated him following an investigation (which included a law firm employed by the family of his wife, Lydia Hearst), they have basically been the only entities that would continue a professional relationship. With his formerly active social media and his once-prominent podcast laying dormant, he has largely faded into obscurity at this point.
With Hardwick out, this presents a great opportunity for an up-and-coming or under-utilized comic talent. Chances are that we learn of the new host for "@midnight" sooner rather than later. But in the meantime, might I suggest Randall Park, Jameela Jamil, or Nicole Byer as potential hosts? Seriously, let's add some more people of color to the late-night landscape. Please and thank you.
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The post The Late Late Show With James Corden is Being Replaced with a Reboot of @midnight, Chris Hardwick Reportedly Not Returning appeared first on /Film.