Let’s do this again. With Craig Ferguson announcing Monday that he is stepping down as host of the “Late Late Show” in December, another spot in the late-night lineup is again up for grabs.
With Stephen Colbert already tapped to succeed David Letterman when he retires from the “Late Show” next year, CBS now needs to choose who will follow the Comedy Central star at 12:35 a.m. And it needs to move quickly — with Ferguson exiting at the end of the year, the new host of “Late Late Show” will likely debut before Colbert (and also get the benefit of following Letterman in his final months).
So here are our five picks for who could — realistically — succeed Ferguson. (As much as we’d love to see Tina Fey and Amy Poehler clowning around every night, it ain’t gonna happen.) Whom would you like to see as the new host? Cast your votes in the comments.
The front-runner: Neil Patrick Harris
Though initially mentioned as a potential replacement for Letterman, it seems likely that NPH has to at least be strongly considered for 12:35 p.m. At 40 years old, Harris is young enough to be in second position to Colbert, who is 49. He has a long-standing relationship with CBS from his nine years starring on the hit sitcom “How I Met Your Mother.” Clearly the network sees his hosting potential — he’s emceed the Emmys and the Tonys multiple times. And though he’s currently starring in “Hedwig and the Angry Inch” on Broadway, that show only runs through mid-August, freeing him up for a new gig in 2015.
The diversity, please candidate: Aisha Tyler
The comedienne would bring some much-needed racial and gender diversity to a community that in 2014 is almost exclusively white and male (Chelsea Handler and Arsenio Hall being lone exceptions). More importantly, she’s got the skills to do the job. An accomplished stand-up comic, she’s already a member of the CBS family as co-host of daytime’s “The Talk” and host of The CW’s revival of the sketch game show “Whose Line Is It Anyway.” While promoting Tyler to the “Late Late Show” would leave holes in those other programs, we’re betting CBS would take the risk for someone with proven appeal.
The Colbert companion: Chris Hardwick
When looking for who should follow Colbert on CBS, why not look to the guy who already follows him on Comedy Central? Hardwick’s “@midnight” has been a big success on cable, finding a way to bridge social media and television — key to attracting the young viewers who have been fleeing network late-night for decades. He also hosts the wildly popular “Talking Dead” after-show on AMC, which has given him wide exposure and shown off his pop-culture cred. He’s currently in the middle of a 40-week run of “@midnight,” and it seems likely Comedy Central will try to hold on to him — especially with “Colbert Report” ending later this year — so CBS would have to lure him away.
The pop-culture fiend: Joel McHale
Like Hardwick, McHale is a fan of culture — which helps when you have to chat up stars from the latest movies and TV shows every night. He’s refined his monologue skills hosting the clip show “Talk Soup” on E! for the past 10 years, and though currently starring in NBC’s “Community,” that bubble comedy’s days are surely drawing to a close. McHale’s star is also on the rise — he’s entertaining at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday, an honor previously bestowed on fellow late-night hosts Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O’Brien and Colbert.
The wild card: Pat Kiernan
Is he a long shot? Absolutely. But the lovable NY1 anchor has gotten some national exposure, from guest-co-hosting “Live! With Kelly” during its co-host search to helming several short-lived game shows and cameos in films like “Iron Man 3.” Kiernan is certainly no stranger to long hours, last January adding a 5 p.m. radio show on WABC to his regular five hours on TV every morning. And though a newsman, he’s shown off his deadpan humor in his most famous segment “In the Papers” (which could segue seamlessly to late-night). As a Canadian, he could also bring some of that outsider charm that the Scottish Ferguson infused into “Late Late Show.” And hey, nobody knew who Conan O’Brien was when he started in late night, either.