Public Announcement #45

Seth Meyers Is A Topical News Comedy Yoda

Comedy Casserole Time!!!! If you mix David Letterman’s snark along with Jon Stewart’s frantic nature toward the state of America, then add in the silliness of Steve Martin & Mel Brooks, the wit of a Woody Allen, the fearlessness of Richard Pryor and topping it off the never ending sweetness of Tom Hanks and STIR!!! Just like that!!! Now, let’s place this in the oven for 40-45 minutes at 400 Degrees, out would come Seth Meyers!!!

As a teenager, I grew up watching Saturday Night Live at my grandmother’s house on as long as I watched The Grand Ole Opry & anything on The Game Show Network before 11:30 pm with the cold opening followed by those epic words “Live From New York, It’s Saturday Night!!!!!” There were a handful of funny fearless comics that made me laugh sketch every sketch from the cold opening to the “Good Night” with plenty of hugs & high fives at the end. My favorites included…

-Tina Fey

-Jimmy Fallon

-Amy Poehler

-Rachel Dratch

-Darrell Hammond

-Maya Rudolph

-Fred Armisen

and of course..

-Seth Meyers

Seth was born in Illinois and as a kid with his brother Josh who’s also a comedian, moved with their parents Larry & Hilary to Michigan when Seth was four & Josh was about a year old until finally settling in Bedford, New Hampshire when Seth was 10. Some comics do what they do struggle to overcome bullying, Seth doesn’t have a trace of bullying. Some comics struggle with self-esteem, I don’t see a trace of that with Seth either. I see a a comedic force that is intelligent, fearless, unpredictable but always with a smile on his face which I also see with Josh especially when impersonates California Governor Gavin Newsom.

In college, Seth majored in TV production like I did in college but Seth tried doing comedy with the college Improv group Mee-Ow before moving to Chicago for ImprovOlympic which many SNL cast members honed their comedy chops to make the crowd laugh. The Harvard of Comedy if you will. You have to work to be funny then get on stage and that takes years of practice. Seth even got to perform overseas with the improv group Boom Chicago. A wise man once told me the countries that have venues where you can see comedy on the weekends heal MANY of the world’s problems.

In 2001, Seth hit the big time becoming a member of Saturday Night Live and over the next five years I saw Seth shine week after week. This was especially true with sketches he did with his “work wife” Amy Poehler especially The Needlers or another one I’ll direct your attention to “Your Warming Smile” where Amy and Seth portray a young couple dating while Seth is still living with his mother who still treats him like a five year old. We saw Seth imitate Michael Caine. We saw Seth take on Ron Weasley from Harry Potter (that skit was better than any of the movies). We saw Seth & Jimmy Fallon host an Irish talk show called Top O’ The Morning with a memorable cameo by Salma Hayek when she hosted on March 15th 2003.

By far, my favorite SNL sketch that Seth shined in at was as CNN superstar reporter Anderson Cooper while covering the 2005 New Orleans Hurricane known as Katrina. Seth got every detail, every word and flowed through the scene like a boss. Seth said and did what we KNOW Anderson would do. Add in tons of celebrity cameos along with master impersonator Darrell Hammond as Geraldo Rivera from Fox News taking over the damn set trying to upstage Anderson. I always found Anderson to be more genuine and less optimistic.

-Tony Danza

-Ray Romano

-Sharon Stone

-Aaron Neville

-Al Pacino

and even..

-New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin

During this period as Seth’s comedic chops were getting noticed in front of the camera AND behind the camera. Seth became SNL’s writing supervisor in 2005 then Co-Head Writer the following year with Tina Fey & Harper Steele. Tina went on to take on the sitcom masterpiece 30 Rock in 2006 as well and Seth took the anchor chair next to his “work wife” Amy Poehler who took the anchor chair after Jimmy Fallon left the show in 2004. I admire they didn’t bicker like Jane Curtin & Dan Aykroyd but also that it was different than Tina Fey & Jimmy Fallon. I also loved Amy & Seth’s segment “Really?!!!” Where the two comedically explain a news story that needs “a comedic deep explanation” just the way former Weekend Update anchor turned talk show host Dennis Miller did with his “I don’t want to go off on a rant here” segment. The difference is Amy & Seth’s comedic breakdown made a hell of a lot more sense. As Head Writer, Seth also gave us famous phrases like “I Can See Russia From My House” and it was all the more exciting knowing Tina Fey would portray former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. In 2009, Amy left SNL to star in the NBC comedy Parks & Recreation leaving Seth as sole anchor of Weekend Update.

Along with throwing much needed spitballs at the headlines each week, Seth was also interviewing an astounding amount of party guests that included:

-The Devil (portrayed Jason Sedakis)

-Former New York Governor David Paterson (portrayed by Fred Armisen)

-A Girl You Met At A Party That You Should Never Have Started A Conversation With (potrayed by Cecily Strong)

-A drunk uncle (potrayed by Bobby Moynihan)

And Seth’s most famous guest STEFON!!!! Potrayed by Bill Hader, Stefon was a “city correspondent” telling all of us about the “hottest clubs” in NYC to get into. The sketch was co-written by Seth’s best friend John Mulaney who like Seth is a great stand-up and has a genuine smile while never failing to deliver the truth. Sometimes Seth could be a little “critical” of Stefon and yes Stefon was a bit jealous when Seth mentioned his girlfriend Alexi who Seth always told lovely stories about on Letterman which I always looked forward to along with stories about the soon to be father-in-law. Seth & Alexi have been married now for 13 years and are the proud parents of three funny along very adorable children (Ashe, Axel, & Adelaide). I’m glad Seth & Alexi got a little girl after two boys!!!

I’m also glad that the night before Osama bin Laden was brought to justice, Seth got to perform for President Obama at The 2011 White House Correspondents Dinner and Seth was great!!! Every joke flew and here’s a preview:

You’ll notice a certain orange billionaire is not happy with the joke material!!! That’s one way you know you’re doing something right comedically. The very moment a powerful person who can defend themselves along with having “many billions of dollars” can’t take a damn joke, that’s a huge victory for the people and the court jester!!!!

On February 1st, 2014, Seth announced he was leaving SNL to host Late Night with Jimmy Fallon taking over The Tonight Show. Seth’s last episode was one of the best finales ever!!! Stefon got so angry about Seth not being on board with Stefon’s “club recommendations” that Stefon left the set upset. Amy was near by because you gotta have your “work wife” with you for your last show. Seth attempted to finish Update but he felt bad about what he said to Stefon. Seth was that guy in a rom-com who realizes he has to run to stop something horrible from happening. Amy said to Seth “go to him.” Seth ran to find Stefon in a church similar to the scene in the wonderful 1967 film The Graduate and we see Seth attempting to stop Stefon from marrying none other than Anderson Cooper!!!!! Seth screamed “STEFON” just like Ben did for Elaine. Seth and Stefon got married with Amy, the cast, and studio audience cheering. I actually cried the last couple times I saw that epic moment. I knew Seth would do great stepping into the shoes of his idol David Letterman and his buddy Jimmy Fallon but I knew Saturday Nights would be a little different especially during Weekend Update. I will say anchors Michael Che & Colin Jost are funny together and I always root for them.

On February 24th, 2014, Seth became the host on Late Night and I knew it would be an hour long version of Weekend Update with Letterman attitude. Seth came out from the curtains and tore it up from the start of the monologue to first guests Amy Poehler, President Joe Biden who at the time was the Vice President and the world seemed like a more saner place then. Seth’s first musical guest was the awesome duo A Great Big World who gave us the awesome ballad “Say Something.” The 8G band was also led by the great Fred Armisen!!! I had no idea Fred was a musician and this didn’t stop Fred from being funny either. It was a weird seeing Fred as Fred as I was used to him channeling Obama and other well known figures. Imitation isn’t enough for a serial impressionist like Fred Armisen. Seth would also tell a funny story about his wife after the monologue filled with jokes about politicians misbehaving to funny surveys to weird news much like Update was. I always say the best comics who talk about the news make it appeal like a funny magazine. With every sledgehammer to politicians who attempt to infiltrate you there are always silly stories as well to which I love. The most popular bit by far is A Closer Look which garner over a million sometimes more hits on YouTube. That segment tackles a complicated news story usually involving the current occupant of The White House or any member of his wild circus he calls an administration. Seth can go to the well of “Trump royal screw ups” and dissect the news story comedically and authentically for what it is. Humorists like Mark Twain, Johnny Carson, Will Rogers, The Smothers Brothers, Bill Maher, Jay Leno, Wanda Sykes, Chris Rock, Jon Stewart, George Carlin, Dave Chappelle, and others have poked fun at people in power who misbehave or attempt more power than the Constitution intends. It shouldn’t be a shock that Seth is in that elite club too plus he came from Saturday Night Live which have gone after politicians since Gerald Ford tried to wash away Watergate.

Other skits that look like they came from the labs of Weekend Update are the Late Night press conferences where Seth asks questions our administration isn’t always keen on answering right away from traditional reporters. “Leave Him Alone” features writer John Lutz as the lone guy in the audience screaming at Seth to not make fun of the “hard working” politicians and instead asks Seth to make fun of him instead. Most of the suggestions are out of this world hysterical. John Lutz has no shame when going for a laugh. John also shines as a Product Tester or any time he has a “new product” to show us himself like Super Mario Galaxy Bubly Water. We’ve also seen Jokes Seth Can’t Tell which is also a favorite of mine. That skit involves Seth with two other very hilarious writers for the show Amber Riffin & Jenny Hagel who help tell jokes with Seth reading the setup while the ladies sling the punchline. The ladies later on convince Seth to try one much to their shock after especially telling Seth “it’s okay, go ahead.” Wanda Sykes was on board for that sketch in 2022). Staff writer Jeff Wright breaks down a few current events in a matter of a few minutes comedically. Fake or Florida was a fun early sketch involving three audience members answering questions if a story occurred in Florida or not. I miss that and I’d love to see the sketch “Ya Burnt” be 86’d. Just a thought, NBC!!!!

Seth told Ellen DeGeneres before he took over Studio 8G like many new talk show hosts he was nervous about the interviews. Seth said interviewing fake characters like Stefon wasn’t hard as you kinda have a sense of what they’ll say even if YOU didn’t write it. Seth also said he was never surprised by what Stefon would do or say. It’s no different than when Kermit interviewed fairy tale characters on Sesame Street which still makes me happy to this day. You just have to be in the moment Ellen had pictures on hand of famous people and Seth just improvised interviewing them for practice. I would have paid real money to watch Seth interview Clint Eastwood and have it be funny along with Clint not calling Seth a dweeb. I also would also love to hear more about the 2012 RNC Clint spoke at with the famous empty chair. Bring President Obama out when Clint gets deep into the story. You know it would be great television, should it happen. Oh I’d also ask “Mr. Eastwood, why Michael Bloomberg in 2020?”

Some of the best nights during the years when I still worked in TV news and didn’t come home until midnight, I’d grab a snack often a bottle or box of wine, turn on Seth, laugh and enjoy the end of my day. Jokes about the weird news events, the biggest movie & TV stars, great musical guests, comedians doing new bits, sometimes a chef (my wife LOVES those segments) and any time Seth made me laugh one minute then let Amber, John, Jeff, Jenny, Michelle Wolf who was on the staff and I think Michelle is a wonderful stand-up as well. Michelle also dressed up as Grown-up Annie which makes me wonder “Seth, how you have you stayed in character while still having a genuine smile during that sketch or Stefon?” I’d love to know what was more difficult. I’ve always wanted to host Late Night as I found that show more appealing than The Tonight Show. Late Night always was snarkier, more original, you could get away with dirty material at 12:35 AM, Seth can say whatever he wants about the President and no one jumps down his throat for it. No one should to begin with!!! If you don’t like the show, don’t watch it!!! But don’t give me phony outrage in your displeasure!!!! Seth is a satirical topical comic who talks about the news. The show will naturally have an attitude to it. I’ve always known Seth’s worldview after seeing him SNL then Late Night. I’m glad Seth has the same fury that I hold and millions of others people do to. I’m glad Seth breaks down the news often better than many cable anchors with a couple exceptions!!! If you ARE looking for jokes that are NOT about the news, please see Seth’s two specials:

-Lobby Baby on Netflix

And

-Dad Man Waking on HBO Max

Seth Meyers never fails to make me laugh. He brings the best monologue about the days events which along with The New York Times in the morning, they keep me informed & smiling. Late Night under Seth’s direction has also brought a team of extremely hilarious individuals along with original comedy needed to save democracy. I know the last one is a big thing to ask for but I want to laugh and I want my country to be on the right track. When I see humorists like Seth cracking me up, I don’t lose my faith.