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Replacing Craig Kilborn

Published Sunday, August 22, 2004 by seanlmccarthy | E-mail this post

As the final week begins for Kilborn's hosting "chores" on the Late Late Show, pundits are filling the void with their thoughts for his possible late-night replacement. The New York Daily News reported over the weekend that CBS and production co. Worldwide Pants will take their time in doing so, which is better than rushing the transition. Some of the hopefuls bandied about in the media: Jon Stewart (who replaced Kilborn and then some on The Daily Show), Amy Sedaris, Bonnie Hunt, Chris Rock, George Lopez, Jon Cryer, Jeffery Ross, Jimmy Fallon and Vince Vaughn. Some of these names are tossed around much like other news "leaks," designed to test the credibility waters, while other names are simply on TV critics' wish-lists. Other speculation centers on friends of David Letterman.
But in reality, who watches TV at 12:30 a.m. Eastern/Pacific, 11:30 p.m. Central/Mountain? College kids and 20-somethings on the go. So who appeals to them and can pull off a talker? Chris Rock (obviously) and Vince Vaughn (obvious to anyone who watched him guest host for Letterman).
Unless Viacom wanted to do something really crazy and move The Daily Show from Comedy Central to CBS. Before you say that is really crazy, remember that Bill Maher's Politically Incorrect made the jump from cable to network in the 1990s. OK. You're right. That was really crazy.