30 people who can replace Stephen Colbert on The Late Show
By Buckie Wells
14. Melissa Harris-Perry
Let’s take a walk back through the Melissa Harris-Perry’s career and her falling out with MSNBC. It’s not terribly clear and sources vary left and right, but the gist is that she tried to speak her mind and some folks at the network weren’t particularly happy about it.
In the midst of the presidential campaign, MHP felt like she was being “silenced,” despite having spent four years cultivating a wide audience and loyal fanbase.
The social and political world of modern day America is a hot mess, so I could see how an educated black woman giving her thoughts on current news for two hours might freak some viewers out … but the good news is that The Late Show is only one hour long.
As a professor at Wake Forest University and current editor-at-large for ELLE, Melissa Harris-Perry is as qualified as it gets to host a late night talk show that honors Stephen Colbert’s political tone but still brings a fresher perspective and much needed change of pace.
However, as a minor note to CBS, don’t hire her as token host because she’s not into that, and it would be a waste of everyone’s time. Hire her because you believe in what she’s saying and because she can open the door to a brand new legion of viewers who like her for her social and political commentary.
That is all.
Next: 13. Tyler Perry