Who is On Late Night Tonight in Comedy: Week of July 20, 2020

Published by Ernie Tripper at July 20, 2020

Who’s on Late Night Tonight in Comedy?

Jimmy Fallon is back home. Or we could also say Jimmy Fallon has left home. However you want to phrase it, Jimmy Fallon has left his vacation home in the Hamptons on Eastern Long Island where he was doing his late night series and is once again doing the Tonight Show from his studio at 30 Rock in Manhattan.

The host of the Tonight Show made an emotional statement from his studio last week following the gradual the reopening of New York City. It’s important to note that Fallon’s studio was pretty much empty with no studio audience allowed and only a skeleton crew of essential cameramen and other studio personnel to get the Tonight Show on the air.

While Jimmy Fallon’s statement was a sugary love letter to the people of New York who fought hard to get the Coronavirus in check and who have started returning to their places of business, it really was nothing more than a gimmick. Because there’s no real reason for Fallon to be there.

After all, like we mentioned, Fallon cannot have an audience and his Tonight Show guests will still be appearing remotely by camera. It’s only Fallon and his sparse crew in the studio. This was only done to grab some ratings and possibly endanger some technical workers in the process, even though they’re observing strict social distancing standards. Jimmy Fallon posted photos of himself in a protective mask heading into 30 Rock and he mentioned that he has his temperature taken before entering the studio, and so did everyone else. But it’s only because Fallon insists on being there.

Fallon will again don his mask this week like he’s a superhero and go to work at Rockefeller Plaza. Hope it’s worth it.

Jimmy Kimmel Live will continue with another week of guest hosts. The most time any of the comedians filling in for Kimmel have spent in the host’s chair has been two nights. This week, it’s four comedians and comic actors each getting one evening apiece.

First up is Joel McHale guest-hosting on JKL on Monday. McHale definitely comes with hosting experience. He’s hosted “The Soup” on E!, the ESPY Awards and 19 episodes of “The Joel McHale Show with Joel McHale.” Tuesday night, Nikki Glaser fills in for Kimmel and her guest will be the very funny Phoebe Robinson. Next up on Wednesday, it’s George Lopez who’s also hosted his own show, “Lopez Tonight” which ran for two seasons. Finally on Thursday, it’s a real-life “Just Jack” show with guest host Sean Hayes from “Will & Grace” fame.

Conan O’Brien has four new shows this week and he’s going almost all comedy with his guest list featuring some of the best names in the comedy business. On Tuesday, Team Coco welcomes Patton Oswalt remotely to Conan. Then on Wednesday night, Conan will be facetiming with Jim Gaffigan. Finally on Thursday, Conan O’Brien welcomes Andy Samberg remotely to his show.

Stephen Colbert turned around his ratings fortunes a couple of seasons ago when he went back to his bread and butter, political humor. When Colbert became ultra-focused on Donald Trump, that’s when he started consistently beating Jimmy Fallon in key demographics and eventually overall. On Wednesday night, Stephen Colbert could have his biggest anti-Trump night to date when he welcomes Mary Trump, the President’s niece.

Mary Trump has written a family tell-all called “Too Much and Never Enough: How My Family Created the World’s Most Dangerous Man.” And on Wednesday, Stephen Colbert will sit down with Mary Trump on the Late Show and they will be dishing out some hot tea on the Commander-in-Chief. This could be another ratings bonanza for Colbert.

On Saturday, SNL will be re-airing one of its best shows from this past season. It’s the annual episode hosted by John Mulaney. Each season for the past 3 years, Mulaney, an Emmy Award winning former SNL writer, has returned to host Saturday Night Live. Each season, Mulaney’s homecoming becomes a huge production-heavy episode for SNL and this Saturday, we get to relive Mulaney’s latest hosting magic from SNL – Season 45.

Enjoy the week and remember this little Covid poem.

It’s not bad to ask…
someone to wear a mask…
Take them to task…
Oh and don’t share your flask.

Monday on Late Night

The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm on Comedy Central
Joel McHale guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live at 11:30pm on ABC
Colin Jost is on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:30am on NBC
Bob Odenkirk is on the Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:30am on CBS (REPEAT)
Leslie Jordan is on the Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:30am on CBS (REPEAT)

Tuesday on Late Night

The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm on Comedy Central
Patton Oswalt is on Conan at 11pm on TBS
Nikki Glaser guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live at 11:30pm on ABC
Phoebe Robinson is on Jimmy Kimmel Live at 11:30pm on ABC
Andy Samberg is on the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:30pm on NBC
Keegan-Michael Key is on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert at 11:30pm on CBS

Wednesday on Late Night

The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm on Comedy Central
Jim Gaffigan is on Conan at 11pm on TBS
George Lopez guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live at 11:30pm on ABC
Amy Sedaris is on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:30am on NBC
Justin Willman is on the Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:30am on CBS (REPEAT)

Thursday on Late Night

The Daily Social Distancing Show with Trevor Noah at 11pm on Comedy Central
Sean Hayes guest hosts Jimmy Kimmel Live at 11:30pm on ABC
Jason Bateman is on Jimmy Kimmel Live at 11:30pm on ABC
Will Arnett is on the Tonight Show starring Jimmy Fallon at 11:30pm on NBC
Andy Samberg is on Conan at 11pm on TBS
Thomas Middleditch is on the Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:30am on CBS (REPEAT)
Ben Schwartz is on the Late Late Show with James Corden at 12:30am on CBS (REPEAT)

Friday on Late Night

Andy Samberg is on Late Night with Seth Meyers at 12:30am on NBC (REPEAT)

Saturday Night Live

SNL Vintage hosted by Queen Latifah with musical guest Ms. Dynamite from 2003
John Mulaney hosts a repeat SNL with musical guest David Byrne from February 29, 2020