Taylor Tomlinson: New CBS late-night show host battled mental health issues to emerge stronger
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In a shake-up of late-night TV, the stand-up comic, Taylor Tomlinson, 29, known for her Netflix specials, 'Quarter-Life Crisis' and 'Look at You', will take over CBS's new late-night show, ‘After Midnight', set to launch in 2024.
The show is said to be based on '@midnight With Chris Hardwick', a series that ran on Comedy Central between 2013 and 2017. Stephen Colbert, who will act as the show's executive producer, was the one to announce the news.
'After Midnight' is expected to run in the same time slot as 'The Late Late Show with James Corden', according to Deadline.
Stephen’s excited about his new late night series (Taylor’s Version)!@taylortomlinson @midnight pic.twitter.com/9wcKELfTm3
— The Late Show (@colbertlateshow) November 2, 2023
Taylor Tomlinson's gradual rise
Taylor Tomlinson, who was born and raised in Los Angeles, has quickly become one of the most lauded and popular stand-up comedians despite being relatively new to the film and television industry.
Tomlinson was early to launch her career as a performer and initially played in the church circuit. Her breakthrough on Netflix was made possible by a 15-minute set on 'The Comedy Lineup' in 2018.
The 2021 Forbes '30 Under 30' honoree created the 'Sad in the City' podcast, which she co-hosts with Brianna Peters, to document her experiences, feelings, and struggles after moving to New York City during the pandemic.
Moreover, the duo never shied away from discussing their mental health struggles, and Tomlinson even opened up about her battle with bipolar disorder in an interview with StyleCaster.
View this post on Instagram
She said, "I care a lot, and I want to say things correctly. (Having bipolar has) really been a non-issue in my life. But there have been a few comments that were unkind with the information. They were in personal relationships. That’s a real low blow. And that is what I was afraid of."
Tomlinson also mentioned her diagnosis on her Netflix special, 'Look at You', highlighting how she has come to accept the battle and emerge stronger.
As a host of 'After Midnight', Tomlinson is set to make her the only woman to currently have a job as a late-night show on network television. Moreover, she reportedly beat X Mayo and Ricky Velez for the hosting gig.
View this post on Instagram
Tomlinson has stepped in at the opportune time to fill the vacancy left by James Corden, who retired from hosting ‘The Late Late Show’ earlier this year. Before Corden, Craig Ferguson and Tom Snyder had also hosted late-night programs that followed 'The Late Show With David Letterman'.
The number of women who have had the opportunity to host network television shows is incredibly limited. In the modern era, Joan Rivers was the first woman to host a short-lived Fox series in 1986.
In 2019, Lilly Singh replaced Carson Daly on the NBC late-late slot. Unfortunately, when the show was discontinued in 2021, network television's late-night shows were left without a female host.
Who will run CBS' 'After Midnight'?
Jack Martin, the person behind all four seasons of ‘@midnight With Chris Hardwick’, will serve as co-showrunner of 'After Midnight' along with Eric Pierce, an executive producer for CBS' 'The Challenge: USA' and 'The Wheel'.
As mentioned, Stephen Colbert will also join them as an executive producer.
The team is also set to include Carrie Byalick, the president of Stephen's Spartina Industries, Tom Purcell, an executive producer on 'The Late Show', Stephen's wife, Evelyn McGee Colbert, and his manager James Dixon of Dixon Talent.
Additionally, Joe Farrell, Mike Farah, Whitney Hodack, Henry R Munoz III from 'Funny Or Die', and Jason U Nadler of 'Serious Business', who co-created '@midnight With Chris Hardwick', will be a part of the show.
