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We’re gonna get deeper into it in the top five, but this was a huge week for regionalism on late night. Sorry to the majority of Americans who don’t live in New York or Los Angeles, but when late-night hosts act like the local news, it rocks. Stephen Colbert and Diego Luna (filling in for Jimmy Kimmel) were civically engaged in their adopted towns this week, and it was both fun and humanizing. Luna, especially, has been making the most of his four days on national television. His time on Kimmel coincided with ICE raids in Los Angeles, and he popped off. He waxed poetic on what immigrants bring to the country on Monday, bought out the L.A. flower market on Wednesday, and featured union activist Dolores Huerta on Thursday’s show. He carped the fuck out his diem, and it was wonderful to see. Here’s what else touched our hearts this week in late night.
Nothing gets a real celebrity hyped like a reality (fake) celebrity. Example: When Lady Gaga met Scheana from Vanderpump Rules. The Haim sisters met a fave housewife, RHONJ’s Dolores Catania, on Tuesday’s WWHL, and their excitement was infectious. Alana truly is the actor in the family; she falls to her knees like her son is back from war. P.S. If you want intel on what Este Haim even did on The White Lotus season two, watch the After Show.
This Tonight Show segment started off with a delightful treat for any Anthony Bourdain heads in the audience. The cookbook author judging this omelet contest between Jimmy Fallon and Tariq Trotter was none other than Michael Ruhlman. Ruhlman was the Jordan Schlansky to Bourdain’s Conan on many an episode of No Reservations, and it was great seeing him on my TV screen again. Then I got to see something I’d never even considered seeing: Jimmy Fallon attempting to make a Japanese omelet. I’d never entertained the thought. He did pretty good for a first try!
Jimmy Kimmel Live! guest host Diego Luna flexed his power the most with the show’s booker. His episodes featured Dolores Huerta, lots of buds from Andor (including a stilts-walking Alan Tudyk), and the woman who went against the Dodgers during the L.A. ICE raids. Singer Nezza sang the national anthem in Spanish at a Dodgers game, against their wishes. She risked her career to make a symbolic gesture. Someone at Kimmel saw the opportunity and gave Nezza an even bigger platform to speak her piece. Incredible booking — hats off.
When Zohran Mamdani and Brad Lander went on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, some people got mad at the question Colbert asked about antisemitism. But I’m going to let you in on what is, apparently, a secret about late-night chat shows: The interviews are kind of planned. It’s like pro wrestling: Host and guest know the rough contours of what they’re going to talk about, but what happens onstage is unplanned. Mamdani undoubtedly wanted a chance to address the biggest criticism the Cuomo bloc could muster, and Colbert provided a huge audience to do so. And you can watch this now as a sort of victory lap now that he basically won the primary.
Jason Mantzoukas attacks this appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers ferociously. He never cedes control, and he never shows fear. Okay, one time he shows fear when he pretends to rip Seth’s desk apart and it does actually start to fall apart. Other than that, no fear. It’s a Zouks for the ages. The best part is when he leads the audience in open revolt. Or maybe the best part is when he asserts that the most American motto is “Destroy, dismantle, engulf in flames.” Or possibly the brief aside about the existence of ghosts. Anyway, this is all in service of promoting his season of Taskmaster. It gets mentioned — sometimes.