Late Night Television Liberty And Justice For All

Sunday. October 20th,  2024

Much of this Posting was written Prior to the disastrous debate that set in motion circumstances that in the end resulted in Joe Biden deciding to turn over the Democratic Campaign for President in 2024 to his Vice President, Kamala Harris.  Since that happened Kamala Harris has done an outstanding job as the Democratic Presidential Candidate and Joe Biden has continued to do the Outstanding Job as President that he has done for the past four years.  We can only hope that the results of the November 5th Election will find Kamala Harris becoming our President for the next Four Years and the enthusiastic continuation of Democracy as we have known it for centuries in The United States Of America.  

My Dear America:

When and If We are Lucky enough to Elect Kamala Harris & Tim Walz and Save America from becoming A Satellite Country of Vladimir Putin and Russia there will certainly be a lot of people to thank.  Five of those Heroic Figures will be the following Late Night Television Hosts.

Stephen Colbert

Jimmy Kimmel

Jimmy Fallon

Seth Myers 

John Oliver

"Strike Force Five" as these Five Gentlemen have called themselves on their Clever and Hilarious 12 Episode Podcast have made it clear over the several years of their starring roles as hosts on Late Night Television what their collective feelings are toward the Presumptive Nominee for President on the Republican ticket in 2024.

Colbert, Kimmel, Myers and Oliver have been especially Harsh and Cutting toward Donald Trump from his early days running for his first Term in office, Throughout his Four Grueling Years as President and his Truly Annoying Presence recently as he promises to, if Elected, Return to the Presidency With a Vengeance and a Promise to be a "Dictator On Day One" and I predict on Every Day Thereafter.  These days those Late Night Hosts have doubled down on their Critical and Comical view of the Former American President and on every show seem to be focused on whatever they can do to save America From having to endure another Four Years, or longer, God Forbid, from Donald Trump.

What I think is especially cool about "Strike Force Five" is just how friendly and respectful of one another these Five Late Night Hosts are in their interactions on their Podcast, as well as in their visits to each others Late Night TV Shows. Recently the four other Late Night Hosts showed up for a surprise birthday party in New York for Stephen Colbert which was arranged by Seth Myers and Colbert's, Wife, Evvie. 

Clearly these guys like each other and although they do razz each other a good bit there is no doubt that listeners or viewers can tell that these people are friends despite the fact that they are mostly Late Night Rivals. 

In a Country that seems to have lost its capacity for Civility the Strike Force Five are a refreshingly different Group of Friends and Late Night Hosts who show how reasonable people could and should interact with one another.  

These guys are a far cry from the Late Night Feuds of the past such as between Johnny Carson and Joan Rivers, as well as David Letterman and Jay Leno.

What is also very cool about the "Strike Force Five" Podcast is just how and why it was started.  

From May 2nd 2023 to September 27th 2023 the Writers Guild Of America went on strike.  During the strike the writing staffs of most television shows including those of Colbert, Kimmel, Fallon, Myers and Oliver were affected.

Fallon, Kimmel and Colbert were in touch with one another and even participated in a Live Show at the Dolby Live Theater in Las Vegas featuring all three of them that they called "Strike Force Three".

"Strike Force Three" added Seth Myers and John Oliver to their frequent Zoom Meetings and the group ended up starting the Unscripted Podcast "Strike Force Five" as a method of keeping their comedy chops up and also earning some money for their beleaguered staffs who were out of work and not earning money.  The Podcast ran from August 30th 2023 to October 10th 2023.  Actor Ryan Reynolds and his Mint Mobile Cell Phone Company sponsored the podcast.  

During the 12 Episode Broadcasts the Strike Force Five Hosts were occasionally joined by special guests including Jon Stewart and David Letterman.  The Episodes are all approximately 60 Minutes long.

I would strongly advise anyone who loves comedy and hasn't listened to the Podcasts to Check them out wherever you get your Podcasts.  

When we talk about Late night Television Liberty And Justice For All we also need to give some serious credit to "The Daily Show" which has featured clever and incisive Political Commentary for many years.  We are treated these days to the Return of Jon Stewart  in the Hosts Chair on Mondays and also some of the other Correspondents on other nights including Ronny Cheng, Desi Lydig, Michael Costa and others.

Certainly when we think about Late Night Liberty and Justice For All on television we can't forget the contribution of "Saturday Night Live."  This show often features up to the minute commentary and skits skewering politics and Politicians of all parties.  The Openings of the show sometimes and the Weekend Update Segments all the time are not only funny and entertaining but are Politically Relevant. 

Last but certainly not least, although she is not a Comedian, Rachel Maddow deserves Special Consideration when it comes to Late Night Television Liberty And Justice For All.  Her Monday Program is always outstanding in commenting on recent Political matters even though it almost always always seems to be highly disturbing when she zeroes in on stories that often time are missed by other news shows.

I think that we all should count our lucky stars for everyone at MSNBC and CNN who tell us the truth even when we don't really want to hear it but still need to hear it.  

We are all very lucky to have the opportunity to have Late Night Comedians, Commentators and others telling us the truths that we need to hear in order to keep our country on track and out of the hands of those who do not care about Democracy.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher