As hard as it may be to hear (or admit) we're living in a world where politics is everywhere - our homes, our places of work, our celebrity ballroom dance competitions (that's on you, ABC), and they are certainly in our late-night comedy shows. (Or as the Emmy voters know them, Outstanding Variety Talk Series.)
It's not that late night has ever ignored politics, but it didn't exactly report on it in the way it does now. Remember when everyone was worried millennials were watching "The Daily Show" and "The Colbert Report" instead of the "actual news"?
Ah, good times.
Now you can't turn on the TV after 10:30 (11:30 to everyone outside of the central time zone) without seeing a monologue about the day's political happenings. Does laughing at the political madness make it any better? Hopefully one day we're removed enough to have an answer. But I can tell you it certainly doesn't make it feel any worse.
And you can't talk about politics and late night without talking about the politics of late night. For those unaware of what I speak, I'm going to assume you're unfamiliar with this year's (and just about every year's) nominees. Don't worry, I'll give you a minute look it up ...
It's no secret that there's a severe lack of diversity in late-night TV. It's hard to miss. It's just also, apparently something that no one feels particularly rushed to fix.
And to be clear, I think everyone in this category is insanely talented, but I also think that four out of six of them fit comfortably in nearly identical demographic boxes.
I also think the solution may very well be right in front of us. If only these ridiculously gifted beings had access to a platform where difficult topics like this could be discussed in a constructive (and even comedic) way...
...bi-daily smile...
