Who will be late-night TV’s last man standing? Byron Allen takes his shot

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Prior to establishing himself as a media tycoon, Byron Allen was once a comedian significantly influenced by the legendary Johnny Carson.

As a child, Allen often went with his mother to the NBC studio in Burbank, where she had a job as a publicist. This gave him an early education in show business. An aspiring comedian who performed at comedy clubs during his teenage years, he frequently waited in the parking lot to chat briefly with the late-night host before recordings of “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson” began.

At the age of 19, Allen made his debut as the youngest comedian ever on The Tonight Show hosted by Carson. This breakthrough paved the way for a regular spot on NBC’s prime-time program “Real People” and launched a thriving stand-up career that kept him on tour for two decades.

Now, Allen, aged 64, is ready to make his return to the late-night television scene – a time when this genre finds itself at a critical juncture. The announcement by CBS that “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” will conclude in May raises doubts about the direction of the nightly realm that once belonged to Carson.

Starting September 22nd, Allen will join the roster of CBS’s late-night programming. His show “Comics Unleashed” will air at 12:30 AM, replacing other programs, and it will be broadcasted after Stephen Colbert finishes his last season.

Allen’s show hasn’t released a new episode since 2016, but the 233 episodes initially produced continue to air in syndication. In 2023, they served as temporary filler for CBS after the network axed “The Late Late Show With James Corden.” For the 2025-26 season, CBS will air “Comics Unleashed” instead of “After Midnight With Taylor Tomlinson,” which ended its second and final season in June.

Hollywood Inc.

I can’t help but feel a significant pang as the ‘Late Show’ franchise seems to be winding down. Once, it was a cherished staple of television that resonated with so many viewers. However, in recent times, it appears to have lost its luster and relevance, along with a notable decline in advertising revenue.

Allen has no illusions about why CBS has turned to “Comics Unleashed” again.

“It’s not cheaper,” Allen said. “It’s zero.”

Allen Media Group purchases advertising slots on CBS for the show “Comics Unleashed” and predominantly retains those slots for advertising sales.

The approach Allen employed for his show “Entertainers With Byron Allen,” which kickstarted his company in the 1990s, was similar. He’d secure interviews with prominent celebrities during press events and compile these snippets into a half-hour weekly broadcast.

He planned to attend the annual conference of the National Association of Television Program Executives, a gathering that serves as a marketplace for syndicated programming in TV. There, he’d discuss with station owners that when their expensive new shows didn’t perform well, they should approach him and take advantage of his “Entertainers”, which he offered free of charge. The stations would get half the advertising time, while Allen would sell the remaining portion to national advertisers from his home office, often seated at his kitchen table.

“I’m addicted to selling,” Allen said.

CBS announced that Colbert’s program is being terminated due to monetary issues, as sources report an annual loss of approximately $40 million.

As a devoted night owl and movie buff, I’ve got to say that “The Late Show” is undeniably popular in late-night viewing, but when it comes to slices of a pie that seems to be shrinking, Stephen Colbert takes the cake (or should I say slice?). Nielsen data reveals a staggering 13% drop in homes tuning into television between 11:35 p.m. and 1:35 a.m. during the first half of 2025 compared to the same timeframe last year. And it’s not just viewership that’s dwindling; ad revenues for all shows in this time slot have seen a significant decline over the past few years as well.

Producing late-night shows comes at a hefty price tag, due to expensive hosts, large writing teams, and the costs associated with entertaining live audiences. Although they earn money from clips shared on social media, they struggle to perform well on streaming services. The topical nature of these shows reduces their worth as archived content, which is crucial for keeping subscribers engaged on streaming platforms.

The unique aspect of “Comics Unleashed” compared to conventional late-night shows is that it’s structured to last longer and maintain relevance over time.

During the latest broadcasts on CBS and in syndication, there were occasional jokes or mentions of the Bush administration, as well as promotions for comics’ MySpace pages. However, the majority of these shows have minimal elements that make them seem outdated.

Allen stated that when working with comedians, he mentions they are filming ‘I Love Lucy.’ He prefers timeless jokes, thus requests avoidance of political humor. Instead, he asks for humor to be light-hearted, suitable for all audiences, and appealing to advertisers.

Besides longtime favorite comedians Allen is familiar with, the show also invited several up-and-coming stand-up artists who later gained widespread recognition as household names, such as Kevin Hart, Whitney Cummings, Sebastian Maniscalco, Nate Bargatze, and Chelsea Handler.

Stand-ups who toil on the comedy club circuit are thankful for the exposure the show provided.

Greg Romero Wilson, a writer and regular panelist, considers Byron a ‘patron saint’ of comedians. According to him, Byron has provided numerous opportunities for comedians at all levels, from beginners to established stars, ensuring that everyone gets a chance.

Stand-up comedian Shang Forbes mentions that people attending comedy clubs occasionally remind him of jokes he performed from shows he recorded many years back.

“It was a very good experience,” Forbes said. “I was surprised how many people saw it.”

Voices

Column: This year’s Emmys are on CBS. A Stephen Colbert win would be sweet revenge

If ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert’, which was recently canceled, wins the award for the best talk series, not only is it deserved, but it sets up an exciting live event that promises to be quite entertaining.

Allen desired to recapture the camaraderie he felt during his own stand-up career, which began when he was hired as a 14-year-old joke writer, joining the likes of Jimmie “J.J.” Walker, David Letterman, and Jay Leno. When he received the offer, Allen jokingly said, “Let me check with my mom.

Allen mentioned what stuck with him the most was how hilarious comedians became after visiting Canter’s Deli.”

Here’s another one:

“What I recall the most is that the comedians were at their peak of humor following our trip to Canter’s Deli,” Allen shared.

And a third option:

“Allen recounted that it was the comedians’ funniest moments that stood out to him, which occurred after going to Canter’s Deli.

As a fervent admirer, I’ve been known to show interest whenever I hear rumors about a renowned media company hitting the market ever since my acquisition of The Weather Channel for $300 million back in 2018. However, just recently, I struck a deal to pass on 10 of my TV stations from Allen Media Group to Gray Media based in Atlanta. This move is part of an ambitious strategy to lessen the debt burden of our privately-held company and channel resources into the rapidly growing realm of streaming.

Being a proprietor of affiliated television networks, he understands quite clearly the financial hurdles that conventional television faces as audiences shift towards streaming services, leading to decreased viewership and advertising income.

He stated that everything is subjected to pressure, as the networks are increasingly allocating their budget towards sports programming rather than non-sports content.

Over the past ten years, Allen has frequently interacted with bankers and lawyers, leading him to file multiple lawsuits against companies like Comcast, McDonald’s, and Nielsen. These cases were ultimately resolved. Interestingly, despite being a business owner, Allen intends to appear as the host in upcoming seasons of “Comics Unleashed.” He aims to create 132 half-hour episodes, with some featuring new content while others will be repeat broadcasts. Additionally, he’ll pen some jokes for these shows.

“You never stop being a comedian,” he said. “It’s a muscle that never goes away.”

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2025-08-11 13:32