The Daily Show’s senior correspondent Jordan Klepper is getting his own series on Comedy Central this fall, filling the 11:30PM ET time slot formerly occupied by both Stephen Colbert and Larry Wilmore.
An obvious choice
Comedy Central president Kent Alterman made the announcement this morning, saying that the untitled series was an easy choice for the network, considering Klepper’s output under Trevor Noah. "Jordan's talent has become so increasingly obvious, it would take a real fool to not offer him this opportunity," he said in an official statement.
Klepper, who joined The Daily Show’s stable of correspondents back in 2014, has become one of show’s top draws, especially during and after the 2016 presidential race.
The 11:30PM slot has become something of an institution on Comedy Central since the days of The Colbert Report, as Stephen Colbert was able to move beyond his roots on Jon Stewart’s show and help transform the hour into one of the most important blocks of political satire of its time.
However, there will almost certainly be concerns for fans looking for more inclusive late night comedy. Comedy Central was criticized last year after canceling The Nightly Show with Larry Wilmore in the middle of election season, even though it was bleeding viewers at the time. Klepper getting his own series will mean late night will be a little bit whiter going forward. Still, at least there’s Jessica Williams’ upcoming scripted comedy to look forward to.