Lesbian Icon Seth Meyers Won Late Night This Week
It’s spring break! Whooo! That means slightly less than half of late night was dark this week. Slightly more than half was dark last week, hence no roundup. We didn’t get a chance to talk about Jimmy Kimmel’s heartfelt moment with Regina King, or Lukas Gage on his “Sorry for being manic” apology tour on WWHL, or Stephen Colbert throwing shade at the Marchioness of Cholmondeley. But we do get to talk about Colbert’s apology tour, so there’s that. Colbert took a moment to extend well-wishes to Kate Middleton but not to Lady Rose. That’s a neat little needle to thread, and he did a good job. But we’re not here for skillful diplomacy among the elites as the world crumbles. Go to the Shōgun recaps for that shit. We’re here to talk jokes. Here, what made us chuckle this week in late-night TV.
5. Seth Meyers Puts Maya Rudolph On the Spot
Seth Meyers will show up again on this ranking for being a supportive ally, but he also got a lot of laughs for very unsupportive behavior with Maya Rudolph. He demanded impressions from her as if he were a boy king and she his jester. This sort of demanding behavior is frowned upon among improvisers but also secretly kind of loved among close friends. There’s nothing funnier than forcing your pal to walk the plank — except making them talk like Oprah while they do it.
4. Shakira Starts the Show
One of the dumbest cold opens of all time. You can’t be mad at that! Why is Drew Barrymore here? Why is the world still fixated on “Hips Don’t Lie”? Why anything in this topsy-turvy world?! Shakira’s still got the moves, also, which is great news. Her interview with Jimmy Fallon was fun, but this tiny moment of absurdity packed the heat.
3. After Midnight Gets Baked
Like No. 5, the contestants in this particular ep of After Midnight are clearly buds. Throughout the episode, the gentle ribbing between Amy Miller, Shane Torres, and Kyle Kinane was a delight — but never so delightful as when Kinane and Miller decided to tickle Torres while describing which baked good he would be. Torres’s mouth said “Kill me,” but his giggles said “This is a pretty fun time. Thanks for including me.” Also, Kinane’s fit was just insane. Very au courant — that is what the kids are wearing, but on him it looked like the landlord who lets the cops into a murder victim’s apartment on Law & Order.
2. Liam Neeson Doesn’t Fuck Around on Easter
Another banger of a cold open. Not since he shared his St. Patrick’s Day traditions has Liam Neeson been this festive. Okay, technically that was Bill Hader, but the point stands. I think this new gritty, violent Easter Bunny will really reinvigorate the franchise (Christianity). Props to Neeson for not taking his persona too seriously. It’s always funny when a guy tries to be tough in a bunny suit. Friends knew it, and The Late Show knew it too.
1. “Here’s to Personal Shopper”
Was there ever a doubt, with my known Twilight Saga fixation and boilermaker predilection, that a day-drinking segment with Kristen Stewart would top this list? This piece was designed in a lab especially for me. What really struck my fancy on this outing was how wrecked Meyers was in comparison to K. Stew. After a while, she was in complete control of the show. Miss Ma’am can handle her tequila shots as well as her darts. And when Meyers was transformed into a lesbian icon, Reneé Rapp’s prophecy came true! My only critique is that when they toasted to Personal Shopper, it should have been with Heinekens instead of forties in honor of Olivier Assayas’s fondness for the beer. Real heads know.