28-03-2025
What Taylor Tomlinson's Departure From CBS For Late Night?
LOS ANGELES - SEPTEMBER 5: AFTER MIDNIGHT, airing Thursday, September 5, 2024, with host Taylor ... More Tomlinson.
This week, comedian Taylor Tomlinson announced that she would not return as the host of CBS's After Midnight. After Tomlinson's departure, CBS announced that they would not be filling the late-night spot with original programming.
Tomlinson took to an Instagram story to say, 'Being the host of After Midnight for the past two seasons was the experience of a lifetime, and I am so lucky I got the chance to be a part of this show. As a touring comic, I never thought I would be able to host a daily show like this and it's because of the incredible @M team that it was possible for me to do so as long as I did.' She then revealed that she will be focusing on touring as a stand-up.
After Midnight is based on the Comedy Central show @Midnight and premiered on CBS in January of 2024. After Midnight felt like a bit of a shake-up in late night: it has a game show format that differs from most other late-night TV shows. It is one of the few late-night shows ever to be hosted by a female comedian and currently one of few to be helmed by a millennial.
Tomlinson leaving the show to return to stand-up might be the writing on the wall for late night more generally. Historically, late-night TV has been seen as a goal for many stand-ups; even becoming a late-night writer was a stepping stone in a stand-up comedian's career. However, that might be shifting as late-night TV has become less of a cultural institution. CBS's decision to cancel After Midnight instead of replacing Tomlinson is possibly further proof of this.
Over recent years, some late-night stars have been leaving the genre. Trevor Noah left The Daily Show in 2022. Daily Show correspondent Roy Wood Jr. also left the show in 2023. Lilly Singh parted ways with A Little Late with Lilly Singh in 2021. Similarly, when Singh left for an overall deal with Universal Television Alternative Studio, NBC decided to stop original programming during her time slot. Even late-night veteran Conan O'Brien left late-night after 28 years as a host in 2021.
Late-night TV seems to be less culturally relevant than ever. Likely, this has to do with the rise of social media and online content. While some late-night shows have found success with online clips, it seems that many young people aren't watching live or on streaming. Rather, if they watch late-night content, it's just the best clips the next day.
The future of late-night TV feels uncertain. This is not because the shows currently on are in some sort of immediate peril but rather because there isn't a clear next generation or growth in the medium. Not replacing Tomlinson and stopping original programming feels like a clear signal that late-night is not thriving.
