Sam Pang Tonight premiere criticized as 'awkward' and 'unwatchable': 'I lasted three minutes'
Sam Pang's highly anticipated late-night talk show, Sam Pang Tonight, debuted on Channel Ten on Monday, but its reception was anything but unanimous. While some viewers enjoyed the new addition to Australia's late-night lineup, others were quick to criticize the show, labeling it "awkward" and "unwatchable."
The show featured classic late-night elements, including a celebrity guest announcer—comedian Dave Thornton—scripted segments, and quirky banter. However, the audience reaction on social media was mixed, with many taking issue with the execution.
"'Oh s***... I said I'd give it five minutes... I lasted three,'" one viewer shared on X (formerly Twitter). Another user added, "'Canned laughter makes it unwatchable.'"
Some fans argued that the traditional late-night format might be outdated in today's entertainment landscape. "'In the age of long-form podcasts, 10-minute segments feel clumsy and awkward,'" one person commented. "'Sam is funny but the 'tonight show' paradigm is over.'"
Despite the criticism, others defended Pang, noting that he appeared nervous in his hosting debut. "'Every single one of us who has followed Sam Pang his whole career will agree that this is the most nervous or uneasy we've ever seen him,'" a supporter wrote.
Some viewers encouraged audiences to give the show more time to settle into its groove. "'Not a great start, a bit clunky and flat at times, but he's a genuinely funny guy, and I will give him a few more weeks' grace. Good luck, Sam,'" one fan commented.
While Sam Pang Tonight has divided opinions, Channel Ten is betting on its success, hoping it will bring an Australian spin to the late-night format and attract top-tier celebrity guests.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Kyrgios 'disappointed' after Wimbledon blow
Nick Kyrgios will miss Wimbledon for a third successive year after another injury setback. The Australian has not played at the All England Club since reaching his only grand slam singles final in 2022, where he was beaten by Novak Djokovic. After more than two years on the sidelines with knee and wrist problems, Kyrgios returned at the start of this season but was forced to abandon plans to play doubles at the French Open after suffering another knee injury. And he has now revealed he will not be able to play in his favourite part of the season, writing on Instagram: "Just wanted to give everyone a quick update – I've hit a small setback in my recovery and unfortunately won't make it back for grass this year. "I know how much you've all been looking forward to seeing me out there, and I'm genuinely sorry to disappoint. This is just a bump in the road though, and I'm already working hard to get back stronger than ever. "Thank you for all your continued support – it means everything to me. See you soon!" The 30-year-old's career was put in jeopardy by a torn ligament in his wrist in 2023, which required surgery and kept him out for a year and a half. He finally returned to action in January but admitted after losing to Britain's Jacob Fearnley in the first round of the Australian Open that he might have played his last singles match at Melbourne Park. He was in tears when more pain in his wrist prompted him to retire at Indian Wells in March, although he did win his first singles match since 2022 against Mackenzie McDonald in Miami later that month in what was his most recent tournament. Kyrgios was still a draw at Wimbledon last year after moving into TV punditry, while he will be appearing at the New Wimbledon Theatre on June 24 as part of the live tour of his podcast 'Good Trouble'.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
Offset deactivates social media after Cardi B and Stefon Diggs go public
Atlanta rapper Offset has deactivated both his X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram accounts following a public meltdown linked to his ongoing divorce from Cardi B and her newly surfaced relationship with NFL player Stefon Diggs. Over the weekend, Cardi B and New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs were seen partying on a yacht, prompting viral speculation about their romantic involvement. Diggs' absence from the team's organized activities — though not mandatory — reportedly raised concerns within the Patriots camp. Offset appeared to take issue with the attention the couple received, posting 'Good roll out n PR' on X before deleting his account. He also posted a series of now-deleted tweets, including one that read, 'Now when somebody die for playing with my son then call me the crash out.' The post referenced a photo showing Offset and Cardi's son Wave sporting a hairstyle similar to Diggs', sparking online trolling. The way Offset is deactivating all his social media and sliding down the wall is so satisfying 😂😂 he got ya bm he won 🙂↔️ — CARDIA (@CCardib2) June 3, 2025 Offset and Cardi B are currently entangled in a contentious divorce. Offset has requested spousal support, which Cardi responded to harshly during a live X Spaces session, saying she hoped he would 'die slow.' She further claimed his cheating and gaslighting during her pregnancy had a severe emotional toll, leading to health concerns for their third child. The former couple were married for six years and share three children. Their split continues to dominate headlines, fueled by both personal and public fallout.
Express Tribune
2 days ago
- Express Tribune
MrBeast hits 400 million subscribers on YouTube
MrBeast has reached a new milestone on YouTube by surpassing 400 million subscribers. Celebrating the feat on X (formerly Twitter), he wrote, "400,000,000 subscribers! A decade ago, before I blew up, everyone in my life told me I was too obsessed and constantly told me that I'd never make it." The YouTuber added that his passion led him against the criticism. "Despite that, I was in love with making content and grinded every moment my eyes were open for seven years before anyone started watching. I literally told my mom I'd rather be homeless than do anything else." Grateful to the platform and his subscribers, he said, "The greatest gift in life is being able to wake up everyday with a purpose and thanks to YouTube and you guys, I have that. Thanks for 400M." No other channels on the platform are even close to the number. To put into perspective, Pewdiepie and T-Series – who had the popular online race to 100 million subscribers back in 2019, which the Indian music company won – are at 110 million and 295 million subscribers respectively. In 2023, MrBeast expressed his desire to break T-Series' record of subscribers – with MrBeast at 125 million subscribers and T-Series at 230 million then. He broke the record in 2024, becoming the most subscribed YouTuber on the platform. MrBeast, born James Stephen "Jimmy" Donaldson, joined YouTube in 2012 by posting gaming content and trying other formats. Flashforward to a 2017 video, he counted down to 100,000, which became his gateway to fame. The video currently has almost 32 million views. Since then, the YouTuber became known for his extravagant challenges and large-scale giveaways. In 2024, he premiered his own version of Netflix's Squid Game, called Beast Games on Amazon's Prime Video. The 10-episode competition series featured 1,000 players and set a grand prize of $5,000,000. Later, a lawsuit was filed against the content creator and his production company on behalf of five unnamed contestants, as per Variety. The lawsuit alleged that the show failed to provide basic necessities such as medical care, food, and sleep to the participants, adding that they were not paid minimum wage for their overtime involvement and were subjected to "dangerous circumstances and conditions." In response, MrBeast wrote on X, "We have tons of behind-the-scenes footage dropping when the series does to show how these claims were blown out of proportion. Just can't release it now because it would spoil the games." The show scored a 5.7 rating on IMDb and a 20 per cent score on Rotten Tomatoes, with viewers remarking that it exploited underprivileged participants for entertainment and missed the point of Squid Game.
