Seth Meyers Expresses Late-Night Worries

Host Discusses Industry’s Future on “Armchair Expert”

Seth Meyers is candidly addressing concerns about the longevity of late-night television, including his own show, “Late Night With Seth Meyers.” He admits the future of the genre feels largely “outside of my control.”

Industry Ecosystem in Question

During a conversation on “Armchair Expert with Dax Shepard,” Meyers revealed his apprehension that the broader television “ecosystem” might eventually cease to support nightly talk shows. The interview was recorded before news broke of “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” being canceled by CBS.

“I do,” Meyers stated when asked if he feared his show could end abruptly. “I mean, only because it is such a time we’re living in, as far as the entertainment industry. There is this weird thing that I feel like I shifted from fearing that I wouldn’t be good enough. And now my fear is weirdly more outside of my control, which is … just at some point, the ecosystem might not support [late-night].”

Focusing on Craft, Not Control

Despite the anxieties, Meyers emphasized his commitment to focusing on his current responsibilities and trusting his production team. “That’s the only part they’re paying you to do. It’s the only part you’re good at,” he explained. “All the other problems, we have people that are as good at that as you are at the thing you do — and don’t mess around with it.”

Mental Health Over Finances

When questioned by co-host Monica Padman about his financial security should “Late Night” be canceled, Meyers indicated his primary concern would be his mental well-being rather than his bank account. He has actively worked to diversify his skills.

“I would worry about myself, like, mental health-wise,” Meyers shared. “But I put a lot of thought into diversifying my skill set. Certainly, financially, I could have been fine just doing the show for the last eleven years. But then it was like, oh, you know what? I feel like there’s something to trying to build a stand-up career and trying to do other things.”

He added that the goal is to find new endeavors that bring similar satisfaction to late-night hosting, without simply filling time. “It’s more like, try to find something that makes you as happy as late night’s making you, but it’s not just to have busy work or anything. It’s like, oh, I like these things, too. And there’s no one entity that can take everything away at once, and I think that’s the scariest situation to be in.”

Late-Night Landscape Shifts

The late-night television sector has faced significant upheaval, with CBS’s decision to end “The Late Show” being a notable recent development. While officially a “financial decision,” speculation has arisen about potential external influences, particularly concerning a pending merger involving CBS’s parent company.

This uncertainty comes as linear television viewership continues to decline. In the first quarter of 2024, total primetime viewership for the top five broadcast networks fell by approximately 10% compared to the same period in 2023 (Adweek, April 2024).