How The Writer's Strike Gave Us The Best Late-Night TV Ever

Update: Apologies to all non-U.S. users, as the Hulu videos will be completely unviewable. I've found non-Hulu links where possible. Sorry! (Feel free to e-mail NBC at support@hulu.com to voice your dissatisfaction, if you are so inclined).

Update 2: Thanks for the comments. In order to watch Hulu outside of the U.S., try using "Hotspot Shield."

Late night television hosts help us to cope with the harsh realities of our soul-crushing daily existence. When they stroll onto the stage after we've had a long day at work, we expect them to be witty, hilarious, and off-the-cuff. When several late night hosts recently returned in the wake of the WGA strike, viewers finally got an opportunity to see what these hosts were like as comedians and entertainers. For perhaps the first time ever, the hosts were finally forced to improvise and to completely write their own material.

For some (e.g. Leno), the strike has been disastrous, but for others, the strike has been a shot in the arm to late night TV, as we've seen how brilliant the minds of some of these hosts can be, completely unfettered by scripting or in some cases, time constraints. Necessity is the mother of invention, and these hosts were forced to figure out ways to use their mere personalities to entertain. The results have been overwhelmingly good.

Through these clips, Conan, Colbert, and Stewart show the world why they are some of the most brilliant minds in comedy today, even without writers. While we here at "The Watchers" completely support the WGA and their cause, we can't help but thinking that without the strike, we wouldn't have gotten some of the following television gems, which were completely outlandish, random, twisted, and all-around, a pleasure.

Colbert Tries to Convince Smithsonian To Display His Portrait:

With "Better Know a District" no longer a frequent segment, these remote segments with Colbert have been rarer than ever. It's probable that the WGA strike drove Colbert to film this three-part series, all of which show the hilarious interactions that Colbert has with a super-serious Smithsonian rep.

Conan Publicly Humiliates an NBC Page:

Conan's German Light Show:

No commentary required here.

Conan offers a glimpse into his daily life, plays "Rock Band" with a real guitar:

Click here for the non-hulu clip Conan's vocal performance here is one of the most hilarious Rock Band performances ever put to film/tape. Treasure it. 

Jon Stewart Lays the Smackdown on Rudy Giuliani:

I've seen Jon Stewart perform live before and he's a wonderful comedian. Without his writers, he needs to be on top of his game more than ever now. This interview with David Frum, in which he balances his contempt for Giuliani with his desire to be funny, shows that Stewart doesn't need a script to be politically incisive.

Conan Performs "Blue Moon of Kentucky" For No Reason Whatsoever:

Click here for the non-Hulu clip Not only does Conan don a great outfit and sing here, he and the Max Weinberg 7 perform a legitimately good rendition of "Blue Moon of Kentucky." 

Conan Interviews his Producer:

One of Conan's best "remote" segments shows Conan lamenting the writer's strike as he dances with one of his producers, but Conan's amusement with his producer is what really makes this clip hilarious. The clip also offers a glimpse into the workings of the show and reveals without a doubt, that the relationship that Conan has with his workers is at the very least extremely interesting. 

Colbert Recalls His Anger Towards Unions:

The writer's strike has been easier for Colbert because the entertainment of the show derives from Colbert's character to begin with; all he needs to do is be "himself" and that's enough. This clip adequately sums up his anti-union stances in the past, and allows us to revel in the fond memories of Colbert episodes past. ** Conan Spins His Wedding Ring To Kill Time:

The least interesting clip of them all, this segment displays both 1) the desperation with which Conan tries to kill time on his show without the writers, and 2) the desperation of the producers on the show, who are willing to allow ring-spinning to take up a significant portion of the broadcast. Wonderful for how it makes the mundane a television event.

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