Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

Late-Night TV Returns with Star-Studded Sports Lineup!

7/15/2025

50 4

Summary

Late Night Revived

Late-night television is back in full swing! Tonight, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Late Night with Seth Meyers kick off new episodes, welcoming exciting guests like Stephen A. Smith and Joaquin Phoenix. With the ESPY Awards on the horizon, the week promises a thrilling spotlight on sports.

Summary

Daily Show Soars

The Daily Show, under Jon Stewart's helm, soared to its highest quarterly viewership in a decade, boasting a remarkable 44% rise among the coveted 18-49 age group in Q2 2025. Meanwhile, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert continued to dominate overall, attracting an impressive 2.42 million viewers, while Jimmy Kimmel Live! shined brightly in the demographic battle.

History

Historical Context

"The Late Show with David Letterman" premiered in 1993, challenging NBC's "The Tonight Show," which Jay Leno hosted. Letterman initially attracted 7.1 million viewers, but by 2009, his audience had dwindled to 3.8 million as Leno regained dominance. The late-night landscape evolved further with "The Daily Show" under Jon Stewart, achieving a 44% viewership increase among 18-49-year-olds by 2025.

1 of 3

Late Night Revived

Late-night television is back in full swing! Tonight, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, and Late Night with Seth Meyers kick off new episodes, welcoming exciting guests like Stephen A. Smith and Joaquin Phoenix. With the ESPY Awards on the horizon, the week promises a thrilling spotlight on sports.

1 / 3