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30 people who can replace Stephen Colbert on The Late Show

By Buckie Wells

NEW YORK - OCTOBER 9: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert welcomed Late Late Show host James Corden during Friday's 10/9/15 taping in New York City. (Photo by John Paul Filo/CBS via Getty Images)
NEW YORK - OCTOBER 9: The Late Show with Stephen Colbert welcomed Late Late Show host James Corden during Friday's 10/9/15 taping in New York City. (Photo by John Paul Filo/CBS via Getty Images) /
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BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY – JULY 16: Soledad O’Brien speaks onstage during Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation’s 2016 ART FOR LIFE Benefit at Fairview Farms on July 16, 2016 in Bridgehampton, New York. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation)
BRIDGEHAMPTON, NY – JULY 16: Soledad O’Brien speaks onstage during Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation’s 2016 ART FOR LIFE Benefit at Fairview Farms on July 16, 2016 in Bridgehampton, New York. (Photo by Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images for Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation) /

16. Soledad O’Brien

Soledad O’Brien’s credentials start at Harvard and span across broadcast journalist positions at CNN and HBO.

As the chairman of Starfish Media Group, O’Brien continues to cultivate her relationship with major networks. Her coverage of Hurricane Katrina and the BP oil spill earned her Peabody Awards and she continues to find herself on several lists as a major advocate for social change. She’s on the board for the Foundation for the National Archives and ExpandED schools, so consider her super involved with social activism.

In addition to picking up an Emmy winner and phenomenal news correspondent, if CBS considered O’Brien for The Late Show, they’d be hitting two key demographics in one shot — Latinos and women. I don’t want to make everything about diversity in media, but that’s kind of the name of the game right now.

By the time Colbert leaves The Late Show, America will be foaming at the mouth for someone different who can implement some serious, forward-thinking changes. That being said, they might as well start with someone like O’Brien.

She’s the smart and safe bet that would be able to deliver the news without turning everything into a game show. Charlie Rose has been on the air for almost as long as I’ve been alive and all of his guests are “thinkers” instead of performers, so serious late night can be just as successful.

Next: 15. Steve Harvey

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