Late-night TV shows used to be at the top of the food chain. It was a significant accomplishment for an entertainer or athlete to be invited to appear on a late-night show and be interviewed by greats like David Letterman, Arsenio Hall or today's Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon and Jimmy Kimmel. But has the rise of streaming lessened their relevance? How many people are tuning in at 11 p.m. to watch anything?
With Trevor Noah's departure from "The Daily Show," the ending of "Desus and Mero," and the cancellation of HBO's "Pause with Sam Jay" and Showtime's "Ziwe," comedian Roy Wood Jr.—who himself is in the running to be the next "Daily Show" host — is questioning how the remaining late shows will survive the current Writers Guild of America strike. (Salon's unionized employees are represented by the WGA East.)
