Entertainment

End of Late Night TV Nears With Jimmy Kimmel Budget Cuts

In the new documentary Lorne, a memorable scene sees Lorne Michaels, the Saturday Night Live creator and king of comedy joining his friend Steve Martin for dinner at Orso in Manhattan.
Over the meal, all caught on camera by documentarian Morgan Neville and his team, Martin presses Michaels on whether he will ever actually retire from SNL. Michaels suggests that, whatever his desires may be, he can’t. To protect SNL, and all of its absurd “wasteful” use of resources, he needs to stick around.
Once Michaels is gone, all bets are off.
Michaels, of course, rules NBC’s late night lineup. He still runs SNL, and oversees both The Tonight Show and Late Night. The doc shows Michaels in prime form, taking an active role across every aspect of the show, munching on popcorn along the way (that popcorn budget may be the first thing to go).
He is, in many ways, the last man standing in late night TV: CBS got out of the game, renting the hour to Byron Allen’s Comics Unleashed after canceling both The Late Show and Late Late Show. Stephen Colbert accepted an Emmy Award this week in recognition of his show’s final season.
Jimmy Kimmel will get his own shot at a farewell Emmy sooner rather than later, even if it is unlikely to happen next year, or even the year after.
Last week, the New York Post’s Page Six reported that Kimmel’s show was going to end next year, as his contract would not be extended. ABC denied it at the time. Later in the week Puck filled in some of those gaps: Kimmel and ABC were in fact in talks for another one-year contract extension … but the network wants pretty serious budget cuts, to the tune of 20 percent or so.
Page Six, in other words, was wrong. ABC and Kimmel are in talks for another season, but there can be no assurances that they come to a deal.
The budget cuts are a grim reality of late night. Even NBC’s Tonight Show and Late Night have had them, cutting days of production (on The Tonight Show), the house band (on Late Night), and other elements of their formats. Kimmel and ABC are likely to figure out a deal, be it pay cuts, staff reductions, fewer episodes or some combination thereof, but the cuts can only delay the inevitable.
Even Kimmel’s latest deal, a one-year extension, acknowledges the current moment. One year deals give ABC and Kimmel optionality, as soon as either side chooses to act on it. It would have been unheard of a decade ago. The fact that it came amid an FCC-driven war against ABC only heightens the pressure.
Advertising revenue on late night has fallen by 50 percent since 2018, and continues to fall at a rapid clip, according to the media tracking firm Guideline. Revenue from digital platforms is not making up for it.
Ratings are ok, with Kimmel averaging north of 2.7 million viewers in Q2, benefiting from the end of the Late Show, while the Tonight Show averaged 1.4 million, also up compared to the previous year. Late Night averaged 974,000 viewers, while The Daily Show averaged 1.2 million. Millions still watch these shows on TV, even if they are a shell of their former selves, when Jay Leno averaged north of 5 million viewers every night, and when David Letterman could reliably draw north of 4 million a night.
Last Week Tonight is once a week in a given season. The Daily Show has Jon Stewart on similarly short-term deals, SNL will, as Michaels surely knows, undergo a dramatic transformation when he is gone. He may very well be the protector of The Tonight Show and Late Night too.
What we know of as late night won’t vanish, of course. It’s just that the juice has left broadcast and cable TV and shifted to places like YouTube, which come across as less filtered and censored, where the comedian or host can say what they want and do what they want, network censor be damned.
Conan O’Brien, in hindsight, left TV just in time. his TBS show underwent substantial budget cuts, and eventually he decided to step aside altogether. His podcast empire, however, has more views than the TBS show ever did, even if his cultural relevance when he was at NBC may have been higher.
But it was his appearance on the YouTube talk show Hot Ones that really opened his eyes to the reality of late night’s decline.
“That was the moment the scales fell from my eyes,” O’Brien told THR earlier this year. “If a guy can do World Series numbers with overhead that looked, to me, to be about $600, and you have every big star lining up to do his show or Chicken Shop Date … that’s when I profoundly understood that late night shows are in trouble.”
Indeed, a new generation of talk show talent is already creating quality shows on YouTube and TikTok, and late night veterans are eagerly joining them. As YouTube CEO Neal Mohan explained it last year, late night TV “gets reconstituted in your feed, which is a personalized set of preferences in terms of what speaks to you around that particular format, whether it’s the monologue, whether it’s the sketch, whether it’s what Brittany [Broski] does in terms of the conversation,” Mohan says.
YouTube is also happy to have legacy talent in its house too, just like O’Brien. It’s a safe bet that Colbert, Kimmel and others will eventually have their own presence there, just like their shows do. And brands like The Tonight Show could, one imagines, simply migrate there, keeping the brand alive regardless of what happens to the network TV time period. The shows already have huge audiences there, why not keep them around? It may not pay the bills for a Manhattan studio and a crew north of 100 people, but there’s no reason that these pieces of TV history need to vanish altogether.
The days of networks spending $100 million-plus on late night TV are nearing the end. It may not end this year, or next year, but it is on the horizon. Kimmel and Stewart may stick around a bit longer, NBC’s shows too, but the inevitable is coming, whether they are eager to admit it or not. Wasteful shows can survive when the creator is untouchable, but once that baton has been passed, waste won’t fly.
The good news? Fresh, exciting and original programming will be born online when it they do pack it in.
And as anyone prowling YouTube for original comedy knows, that next generation of “late night TV” is already forming, it just might not be late at night, or on TV.
“Why would I watch? Five white guys, I mean, talk about the most stale environment,” former late night host Chelsea Handler said last week at a live taping of Malcolm Gladwell and Kenya Barris’ The Unusual Suspects podcast at Audible’s Minetta Lane Theatre, when asked if she still watches late night TV (the episode will premiere Oct. 29). “You know, some of these guys are my friends, but … it’s so anachronistic. It’s so antiquated. Who is tuning in, and you’re watching clips? Of course, you know, if you’re online, it’s so stale.”

Entertainment

Alexandra Daddario posts vacation bikini photos after Andrew Form split

Alexandra Daddario is soaking up some time away after a year of major changes.
The 40-year-old actress shared a series of vacation photos on Instagram Wednesday, including two shots of her relaxing outdoors in a blue and white gingham bikini.
Daddario opened the Instagram carousel reclining on a cushioned lounge chair while looking directly at the camera. She wore the checkered two-piece with her long brunette hair loose and swept across one side of her face.
JESSICA SIMPSON TURNS HEADS IN BIKINI PHOTOS FROM TRIP TO TURKS AND CAICOS
The “White Lotus” star appeared to keep the look natural and accessorized simply with a silver ring as she leaned on one arm for the close-up shot.
“Vacation details,” Daddario captioned the post.
A second photo captured Daddario from a different angle as she stretched out on the same chair. She rested her head against one arm while peeking toward the camera, offering another look at the pale blue gingham swimsuit.
Fans quickly took notice of the vacation photos.
“If she broke my heart i would apologize…,” one person joked.
“We missed the Daddarios,” another commented.
“Your not allowed to look so good effortlessly @alexandradaddario,” another fan added.
Daddario traded her swimsuit for a more dressed-up look elsewhere in the carousel.
In a mirror selfie, the “Baywatch” actress posed barefoot in a cream-colored matching set covered in a bold floral and bird print. The look featured a sleeveless fitted top and floor-length skirt, with a cutout along one side of her waist.
Daddario held her phone in one hand and stretched her opposite arm above her head against the wall as she captured the full look.
‘WHITE LOTUS’ STAR MICHELLE MONAGHAN SHOWCASES HER TONED FIGURE IN STRING BIKINI DURING INDONESIAN VACATION
The vacation glimpse comes seven months after Daddario and film producer Andrew Form announced the end of their marriage.
A representative for Daddario confirmed the split to People in February after more than three years of marriage.
“Alexandra Daddario and Andrew Form have made the decision to end their marriage,” her representative told the outlet.
“The decision was made with love and respect,” the statement continued. “They will continue to co-parent their child together and appreciate privacy as they navigate this transition.”
PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE
Daddario and Form married in New Orleans in June 2022 after making their relationship Instagram official the previous year.
The former couple welcomed their first child together, a son, in October 2024. Form also shares two sons with his ex-wife, actress Jordana Brewster.
JENNIFER LOPEZ STUNS IN PATTERNED SWIMSUIT WHILE SOAKING UP FINAL DAYS OF SUMMER
Daddario had previously opened up about her journey to motherhood, revealing in a 2024 interview with Vogue that she experienced a pregnancy loss before welcoming her son.
“It’s long and complicated, so I don’t want to be too specific,” she told the outlet at the time. “Those kinds of losses and trauma are very hard to explain unless you’ve been through them.
GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE
“I really relate to all the women who have been through those kinds of things in a way that I didn’t understand fully before. It’s very, very painful.”
The actress has remained busy professionally amid the changes in her personal life.
Earlier this month, Daddario stepped out during New York Fashion Week for Montblanc’s 100 Years of Leather celebration at the Crane Club in Manhattan.
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Speaking at the event, Daddario reflected on how her outlook has evolved as she’s gotten older.
“When I was younger, I never wanted to use them,” she told WWD while discussing the luxury items she once saved for special occasions. “I didn’t want to use the best skin care product. I didn’t want to use my fancy bag.
“And now that I get older, I’m like, ‘I’m alive. Things are meant to be used. You use them until they wear out, and that’s what’s good about them.'”

Entertainment

YouTube star Ms Rachel to match Macklemore’s $1m Palestine aid donation

YouTube star Ms Rachel has said she is matching rapper Macklemore’s $1m donation to organizations supporting Palestinians, calling on other public figures to follow suit.
Macklemore, who was fired as the opening act on Ed Sheeran’s tour after saying “Free Palestine” on stage at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, pledged to donate the entirety of his earnings from Sheeran’s tour to several organizations focused on the Palestinian people.
Ms Rachel, whose full name is Rachel Accurso, wrote on Instagram: “Over 20,000 precious Palestinian children have been killed, and children continue to be killed every day.”
Accurso said her donation would go to the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund.
“We have a moral obligation to use our privilege and platforms to protect children and human rights,” she wrote.
Accurso, a children’s entertainer with over 21 million YouTube subscribers, has been vocal about the hardships Gaza’s young people face amid the war with Israel. She encouraged “every wealthy white celebrity” to match her donation.
Accurso is the latest public figure to back Macklemore, after he was dropped from Sheeran’s Loop tour for remarks he made at a 4 September concert about the plight of the Palestinian people.
“Free Palestine! I want those words to be loud and clear, so that people all the way in Gaza to the occupied West Bank know that we have not forgotten about them,” he said during a two-minute speech.
Macklemore’s words prompted a flurry of criticism from Israel-aligned groups. The singer Pink also called on Macklemore to be removed from the tour, and referenced a 2014 incident where he wore a costume decried for bearing resemblance to Jewish caricature. Macklemore apologized for the costume at the time.
Pink expanded on her position in an Instagram post, saying she was not speaking on behalf of the Israeli government, but rather wanted to advocate for Jewish concertgoers who may have been alarmed by the rapper’s remarks.
Macklemore directly addressed Jewish audience members at a second tour date on 5 September, saying: “Criticism of Israel, criticism of apartheid, being against genocide in no way is a criticism of you. My message is for peace, love; for all human beings to be treated with dignity, respect and equality.”
Sheeran has maintained the decision to fire Macklemore was led by stadium owners, including Gillette Stadium and New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.
Sheeran wrote on Tuesday on Instagram: “I have my personal views on this devastating conflict. Just because I choose not to speak publicly, it doesn’t mean I don’t have them, and it doesn’t mean I don’t care. Nor does it mean I don’t support causes in my own, personal way.”
Kraft and Sheeran are both donating $2m each to Palestinian relief funds, Kraft said Wednesday, although it is unclear which organizations their funds will support.
Four supporting acts, among them American singer Finneas and Danish pop band Lukas Graham, have quit the tour in solidarity with Macklemore.

Entertainment

Brendan Gleeson, Jennifer Jason Leigh Among 5 Cast In FX’s ‘Far Cry’

FX‘s anthology series Far Cry has added Brendan Gleeson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Hamish Linklater, Sam Spruell and Jamie Demetriou to its cast.
They join the previously announced Rob Mac, Lizzy Caplan and Steve Buscemi in the cast of the series based on Ubisoft’s global hit video game franchise.
Each season of the Noah Hawley and Mac series will retain Far Cry’s signature standalone storytelling format, with each season set in a new setting and following a new cast of characters. Details regarding the plot of Season 1 are under wraps.
Six game releases, from 2004 to 2021, have been released as part of the franchise, with an additional seven spinoffs and expansions. The games are known for the exhilaration of the first-person shootouts, organic open-world playgrounds, unique stories, and memorable antagonists.
FX’s Far Cry is executive produced by Hawley, who created FX’s anthology series Fargo and Alien: Earth for TV through his 26 Keys production banner, and Rob Mac, creator of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Executive Producer of Welcome to Wrexham through his production banner More Better Productions. In addition to Mac and Hawley, the series is executive produced by Simon Emanuel, Emilia Serrano for 26 Keys, Nicholas Frenkel for 3 Arts, Monica Macer, Peter Calloway, John Campisi, Gerard Guillemot, Margaret Boykin, and Austin Dill for Ubisoft Film & Television. The series will be produced by FX Productions.
Gleeson is represented by CAA and Principal Entertainment. Leigh is represented by CAA and Untitled Entertainment. Linklater is represented by Untitled Entertainment, Gersh, and Johnson Shapiro Slewett & Kole. Spruell is represented by Lou Coulson Associates and Luber Roklin Entertainment. Demetriou is represented by United Agents, CAA, and Multitude Media.

Entertainment

Eric Schrier Steps Down As Disney Executive, Becomes Producer (Exclu)

EXCLUSIVE: Eric Schrier is departing his post as Disney‘s President of Direct-to-Consumer International Originals, Strategic Programming, and Emerging Media — but not the company. The 26-year FX/Disney veteran is launching a production company, which will be based at Disney Entertainment Television.
Disney Entertainment Television chairman Debra OConnell revealed Schrier’s change of status in an internal memo, which followed the announcement of Adam Smith’s elevation to Chairman, Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Entertainment and Joe Earley’s move to DET as President, Disney Entertainment Television Franchise and Content Strategy.
“As Eric and I have been talking about the future, he shared with me his desire to return to his creative roots,” OConnell wrote. “After an extraordinary 26 years at Disney, including as one of the early architects of FX, Eric has decided this is the right moment to pursue that next chapter. I’m so pleased that we’ll continue working together through a new producing partnership with DET. Eric plans to share more about what’s ahead soon, and we’re excited about what we’re going to create together.”
Details of Schrier’s producing arrangement are still being hammered out but he is expected to work across divisions, which include FX, where he had spent most of his career to date, rising to Entertainment President; FX Productions, which he launched with FX Chairman John Landgraf; Hulu/Disney+, which he supplied with international originals; and 20th Television, which he oversaw for two years as President of Disney Entertainment Studios, until the March restructuring following Dana Walden’s elevation to President and Chief Creative Officer of The Walt Disney Company.
It saw Schrier move to Direct-to-Consumer under Earley as President of DTC International Originals, Strategic Programming, and Emerging Media, and OConnell take over Disney Entertainment Studios, which had slimmed down during Schrier’s tenure as he shepherded the merger of 20th Television and ABC Signature.
Building Disney+ international streaming originals’ infrastructure and slate has been a focus for Schrier over the past couple of years. He has expanded the streamer’s global content lineup to 65 shows across 16 international markets and has appointed new EMEA and LATAM heads as well as new country managers. He also has been charting Disney+ path in emerging content space while also maintaining his existing responsibilities overseeing all BA, labor relations and creative development and inclusion across DET.
The role came with a heavy travel load, taking Schrier away from his young family for 1-2 weeks every month and making him miss important events and anniversaries.
It also came with a large focus on administrative duties, pulling Schrier away from the creative process, which was at the center of his tenure at FX. He missed working with writers, directors and talent, as well as being entrepreneurial, which he did at FX where he helped establish a new production model and launch a viable cable studio in FX Productions.
The two factors, as well as him being confined within the Disney walls for the past two years, led to Schrier’s decision to take on a new chapter as a producer. The timing of the decision is likely tied to the latest Disney restructuring that has Earley move to DET under OConnell, which would’ve involved Schrier moving back with him. (OConnell is expected to reorganize her unit too in the coming months.)
Schrier’s exit from the executive ranks comes just a couple of weeks after another key FX architect, Chuck Saftler, also announced his departure.
At age 50, Schrier has plenty of runway ahead of him as he puts an end to a 25-year executive career spent entirely at FX/Disney. He joined FX in late 2000 as an assistant to then-President of Entertainment Kevin Reilly. Just months later, in July 2021, Schrier was promoted to Manager of Current Series and rose steadily through the ranks to Entertainment President. Some of the series that he was closely involved in include The Shield, Sons of Anarchy, The Americans, Atlanta and The Bear.
Since leaving FX to become President of Disney Television Studios in 2022, Schrier oversaw such Disney+ international originals as Rivals, Alice and Steve, Perfect Crown and the upcoming The Remarried Empress. He spearheaded major Disney TV Studios deals with networks and talent, including the blockbuster four-season pickup of four 20th Animation series by Fox: The Simpsons, Family Guy, Bob’s Burgers as well as American Dad! in its return to the network after an 11-year run on TBS.
Additionally, he helped Walden manage the DTC business and its turnaround to profitability and create the combined Disney Entertainment division.
Here is OConnell’s memo:
Team,
Following Dana’s note a short time ago, I first want to congratulate Adam Smith on his new role as chairman, Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Entertainment. Adam is an exceptional leader and partner, and I’m thrilled for him as he takes on this expanded responsibility. I also want to congratulate Joe Earley on his new role and share how incredibly happy I am to welcome him to Disney Entertainment Television – although for so many of us, Joe needs little introduction.
Joe and I have worked closely together since he joined the company in 2019, and I know firsthand what a thoughtful, creative and deeply collaborative partner he is. He knows our businesses and our teams incredibly well, and brings a rare combination of strategic thinking, sharp instincts and genuine passion for our content and brands.
As president, DET Franchise and Content Strategy, Joe will now lead the strategic development of our franchises, building on some of our greatest strengths – our incredible IP and rich content library – to deepen engagement with audiences and create new opportunities for growth. He will also oversee DET production, labor relations and creative talent development and inclusion, along with our international content, bringing our global titles and local originals together under Disney Entertainment Television. Joe’s experience makes him uniquely suited to build on our success, and I couldn’t be happier to have him alongside us in this new role. We’ll have more to share in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I know many of you have worked with Joe over the years, and I hope you’ll join me in welcoming him to the leadership team at DET.
I would also like to share an update about Eric Schrier. As Eric and I have been talking about the future, he shared with me his desire to return to his creative roots. After an extraordinary 26 years at Disney, including as one of the early architects of FX, Eric has decided this is the right moment to pursue that next chapter. I’m so pleased that we’ll continue working together through a new producing partnership with DET. Eric plans to share more about what’s ahead soon, and we’re excited about what we’re going to create together.
We have tremendous momentum across our organization powered by exceptional creative teams, some of the most beloved franchises in entertainment, and stories that connect with fans around the world. Thank you for everything you do to make that possible. I’m looking forward to everything we’ll continue to accomplish together!
All the best,
Debra

Entertainment

New Disney streaming Chairman is Adam Smith, Joe Earley Moves to TV

Disney Entertainment is making some significant changes to its senior leadership, with Adam Smith being named chairman of direct-to-consumer for the division, overseeing all elements of Disney Entertainment’s DTC business, including product, engineering, advertising technology, programming, viewer experience, partnerships, and data and analytics for Disney+ and Hulu.
Meanwhile, Joe Earley, who had been co-president of direct-to-consumer, will move to a new role as president of Disney Entertainment Television franchise and content strategy, reporting to Deb OConnell.
In a memo to DET staff late Thursday, OConnell also announced that Eric Schrier will leave his post as head of DTC international originals, strategic programming and emerging media. The 26-year veteran of FX and Disney will move to a producing deal with Disney Entertainment television.
Smith, a veteran of YouTube (where he led YouTube Premium and YouTube Music), joined Disney two years ago with a mandate to reimagine the product and technology underpinning the company’s streaming ambitions.
The new role will place all of the company’s DTC efforts under one executive, a structure that will matter even more as CEO Josh D’Amaro follows through on his plan to make Disney+ the “digital centerpiece” of the company. The previous structure saw multiple executives each overseeing different elements of the DTC experience, reporting up to Walden and Alan Bergman. The new structure simplifies it under Smith.
“Over the past two years, Adam has done an exceptional job building a world-class team of product and technology leaders and has significantly enhanced the Disney+ user experience globally,” said Dana Walden, Disney’s president & chief creative officer, in a statement. “Alan Bergman and I are pleased to recognize the tremendous impact he has had on our direct-to-consumer business since he joined Disney, and we are confident that he is the right leader to meet the critical moment we’re in and take us to the next level.”
“Disney has the best storytellers and the most passionate fandom in the world, and I couldn’t be prouder of what this team has built together,” added Smith. “We’ve established real momentum, and our vision ahead is clear: make Disney+ the connection point for fans everywhere to engage with the full breadth and depth of the broader Disney ecosystem. I’m grateful for this team, energized by what’s ahead, and excited for our next chapter.”
Earley, meanwhile, joined Disney in 2019 as part of the 21st Century Fox deal (Walden also joined the company in that deal), serving in a number of roles, including president of Hulu, and later adding Disney+ to his purview.
In his new role Earley will lead strategic development for Disney Entertainment’s TV franchises, as well as content and production for international originals, production, labor relations and creative talent development.
“Joe has been an exceptional leader for our direct-to-consumer business over the past four years, and I am deeply grateful for his partnership and meaningful contributions,” said Walden. “He is a talented executive with a rare combination of business acumen and creative instincts, and Debra OConnell and I could not be more excited to welcome him to the leadership team at Disney Entertainment Television.”
Schrier was one of the “architects” of FX, as OConnell put it in the memo, working with John Landgraf to build the channel into one of the leading purveyors of original series on cable and, later, helping integrate the former Fox property into Disney.
Earlier this summer, Disney+ president Alisa Bowen exited to join Fubo as its CEO.
OConnell’s full memo is below.
Team,
Following Dana’s note a short time ago, I first want to congratulate Adam Smith on his new role as chairman, Direct-to-Consumer for Disney Entertainment. Adam is an exceptional leader and partner, and I’m thrilled for him as he takes on this expanded responsibility. I also want to congratulate Joe Earley on his new role and share how incredibly happy I am to welcome him to Disney Entertainment Television – although for so many of us, Joe needs little introduction.
Joe and I have worked closely together since he joined the company in 2019, and I know firsthand what a thoughtful, creative and deeply collaborative partner he is. He knows our businesses and our teams incredibly well, and brings a rare combination of strategic thinking, sharp instincts and genuine passion for our content and brands.
As president, DET Franchise and Content Strategy, Joe will now lead the strategic development of our franchises, building on some of our greatest strengths – our incredible IP and rich content library – to deepen engagement with audiences and create new opportunities for growth. He will also oversee DET production, labor relations and creative talent development and inclusion, along with our international content, bringing our global titles and local originals together under Disney Entertainment Television. Joe’s experience makes him uniquely suited to build on our success, and I couldn’t be happier to have him alongside us in this new role. We’ll have more to share in the coming weeks. In the meantime, I know many of you have worked with Joe over the years, and I hope you’ll join me in welcoming him to the leadership team at DET.
I would also like to share an update about Eric Schrier. As Eric and I have been talking about the future, he shared with me his desire to return to his creative roots. After an extraordinary 26 years at Disney, including as one of the early architects of FX, Eric has decided this is the right moment to pursue that next chapter. I’m so pleased that we’ll continue working together through a new producing partnership with DET. Eric plans to share more about what’s ahead soon, and we’re excited about what we’re going to create together.
We have tremendous momentum across our organization powered by exceptional creative teams, some of the most beloved franchises in entertainment, and stories that connect with fans around the world. Thank you for everything you do to make that possible. I’m looking forward to everything we’ll continue to accomplish together!
All the best,
Debra