In this episode of America’s Coach, Mark Whitney gives an unsparing tour of his “Late-night Wall,” a shrine to hosts from Carson to Colbert. With hammer and putty knife in hand, he dismantles the gallery—literally and metaphorically—marking the death of late-night TV as a cultural force. From Bill Burr bombing on the premiere of The Tonight Show starring Conan O’Brien to Samantha Bee’s savage takedown of Ivanka Trump, Whitney recalls the golden age of late night, the betrayals, the power shifts, and the mass exodus to podcasts. It’s part history lesson, part comedy roast, and part demolition. The wall comes down, and with it, the myth that late night still matters.
Show Notes — America's Coach (July 18, 2025)
Recorded Live In San Diego, CA · 6:30P Pacific
“It's like being the best ice skater in India.”
(On Colbert's ratings lead in a dying medium)“All your problems go away when you die.”
(Mocking the side effects in late-night pharma ads)“I might know more about late night than anyone who's never officially worked in the industry.”
Why Late Night Died
Predictable monologues.
Dying boomer demographic.
Drug ads replacing edgy comedy.
Sports dominate TV ratings; NFL = Surprise; Late Night = Predictable.
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