Move over Fox Force Five, it’s time for some laughs, as late night talk show hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver have launched a new podcast amid the ongoing WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes titled Strike Force Five.
The limited podcast will find the late night quintet sitting down to discuss everything going on with the current strikes. As per Spotify, which will present the podcast beginning today, “The hosts bring their unique insights, opinions, and humor to the show as they navigate the Hollywood strikes and beyond. Launching August 30 and available across most major podcast platforms, the series will run for at least twelve episodes, with each host serving as a rotating moderator.” Notably, all proceeds made from Strike Force Five will benefit out-of-work writers from each host’s show.
In total, Colbert, Fallon, Kimmel, Meyers, and Oliver have over 8,500 episodes on their current shows: The Late Show, The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and Late Night, ranging from Kimmel’s 3,500+ to Oliver’s ~280. Of course, such tenures wouldn’t be possible without writers, so it is great to see these titans of modern late night comedy giving back to those that help to make their shows such successes.
Combined, the late night talk shows have a wealth of Emmy nominations, with many of the shows frequently battling for the Outstanding Talk Series award. Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert are all nominated, although they will have to wait longer than usual to find out the winner as the ceremony has been postponed due to, yes, the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. The other nominees in the category are The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and The Problem with Jon Stewart.
While we wait to listen to all of the episodes, you may as well listen to former late night talk show host Conan O’Brien’s hilarious podcast Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, with recent guests including Liam Neeson, John Mulaney, and Steve Martin and Martin Short.
Will you listen to the Strike Force Five podcast? Which of the late night talk show hosts do you think could lead their own podcast a la Conan O’Brien?