In this era of television metamorphosis and changelessness of broadcast media, even the most secure host will be seized by the fear of an existential nature. Seth Meyers, host of NBC’s “Late Night,” recently gave an honest peek into his mind, confessing that the thoughts of his long-standing show being canceled would give him some serious mental-health problems.
The larger industry fears and more recent high-profile late-night cancellations corroborate the heavy personal investment that hosts have in their nightly comedic shows.
Meyers has spent more than a decade building an avid fanbase, providing pointed political commentary and witty celebrity interviews, so that the show is not only a job, but a fulcrum of his professional and personal identity. The idea of that pillar being taken away, he proposes, is a burden many times heavier than monetary.
The Anchor of Routine: A Daily Constant
Routine and stability are vital for psychological health for many people, and a regular work schedule delivers on both fronts. For the late-night host Seth Meyers, the daily routine of “Late Night” provides a special and concentrated kind of this stability.
Each night, he works up to a new show, writing monologues, doing interviews, and working with a live studio audience. This grueling but routine pattern becomes a habitual part of existence. Think of the sheer amount of production: almost 200 shows per year, each demanding new material and a polished performance. This stable source of creation and the immediate feedback of an audience can become a chief source of affirmations and meaning.
Such a deeply ingrained habit has as abrupt a disconnection as can be imagined. Stopping it can throw internal balance into chaos, and disorientation, loss of direction, and identity crises are possible results.
Beyond the Laughter: Identity and Purpose
Yet another benefit of a successful late-night program is, of course, monetary returns, but “Late Night with Seth Meyers” has added a huge dimension to the professional identity and personal fulfillment of Meyers. Eleven-plus years in this show have matured him as a comic, interviewer, and observer of society.
He has developed an individualized voice, apart from his background work at Saturday Night Live. The show is not just a platform; it’s a reflection of his talent, hard work, and the cooperation of his team. He would thereby lose his primary outlet for creative and intellectual endeavor in comedy, need to undergo a major paradigm shift in how he conceptualizes his professional legacy, and perceive that he loses the venue that defines him as a comedian.
The television entertainment business, and late-night TV in particular, is a volatile and competitive environment, and the feeling that an “ecosystem” may no longer be conducive to such programming is symptomatic of a broader nervousness regarding the place of old media in a divided digital age.
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A recent media graduate, Bhumi Vashisht is currently making a significant contribution as a committed content writer. She brings new ideas to the media sector and is an expert at creating strategic content and captivating tales, having working in the field from past four months.
