How Late-Night Covered A Momentous Week: Emotions, Empathy & Honesty
Peter White Television EditorIn times of national crisis, many Americans turn to late-night television to help understand and process what’s going on.Late-night has a history of summing up the mood of the nation, from Harry Belafonte interviewing Martin Luther King during the riots of 1968 when he guest-hosted The Tonight Show, through to Arsenio Hall’s interview with LA Mayor Tom Bradley after the LA Riots in 1992 and David Letterman’s emotional monologue after 9/11.That has never been clearer than this week as this generation of late-night talent including Stephen Colbert, James Corden, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah, Conan O’Brien and Amber Ruffin stepped up and delivered emotional words, empathy and illuminating