Late-Night Shows Take a Turn for the Serious

Late-night TV shows are usually filled with jokes and laughs, light ribbing at the expense of celebrities, and a showcase of interesting talents from across the country. Now, however, these shows are heading in a different direction, tackling current events from mass shootings to health care.

In an interview with NPR’s OnPoint, Newhouse Trustee Professor and Director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture Robert Thompson weighed in on this change and commenting on the new direction that late-night comedies are headed and how they are able to do so.