For myriad reasons, it feels like the late-night landscape is changing. From Stephen Colbert’s show getting canceled and Jimmy Kimmel’s program being taken off the air last year to a slew of online creators becoming prominent in the interview space, it feels like we’re in a major moment of evolution. Now, Bowen Yang, who left Saturday Night Live partway through Season 51 and hosts a very successful podcast with Matt Rogers, has made it clear that he does not want late-night to die.
For years, Yang and his friend and fellow comedian Matt Rogers have hosted a successful podcast called Las Culturistas. They’ve interviewed A-listers like Tina Fey, Chappell Roan, Jennifer Lawrence and many more, and they hosted their own award show on Bravo last year. Along with all that, they were featured in a Vanity Fair article about the rise of digital creators who are “shattering the talk show format” and creating a “new late night.”
However, while they’re making waves with their own podcast, Yang made it clear that he is still a big supporter of classic late-night shows, saying:
I feel very protective of it. Especially after Kimmel, especially after Colbert.
There’s no question that what happened to these two late-night hosts was unexpected, and it feels like a sign that things are changing. Yang believes that, too, because when Colbert got canceled, he reacted, explaining that it was “tragic” and “a really dark day” for late-night television. Following the news that The Late Show would air its final episodes on the 2026 TV schedule, the comedian also wondered how SNL could be impacted by big changes like this.
Obviously, Jimmy Kimmel Live! getting suspended last fall after FCC chairman Brendan Carr threatened ABC, also created questions about the future of late-night television. While Kimmel did return to the air, his show's suspension due to comments he made on air about Charlie Kirk left many concerned about the ripple effects a move like this could have.
So, considering all of that, Yang ended his comment by saying:
It’s clear there’s a nerve that’s being hit.
Overall, there are a lot of factors that play into the future of late-night. Colbert and Kimmel’s situations emphasized them too, as they’ve pointed out financial and potential political challenges that are being presented.
Meanwhile, a new crop of creators, like Yang, Hot Ones’ Sean Evans, Royal Court’s Brittany Broski, Therapuss’ Jake Shane and more are making waves through their interviews, creating a new generation of personalities who conduct work that is redefining the interview game.
Bowen Yang is one of said creators. He left Saturday Night Live mid-way through Season 51, and while he has a flourishing film and TV career, his impact on the internet cannot be denied. His and Matt Rogers podcast is a big deal, and they get major guests (like late-night hosts do). However, he’s also still a fierce ally of late-night TV and wants to see it protected at all costs.
