Summary
Craig Kilbornis a Renaissance man when it comes to his body of work, appearing as a sports commentator, comedian, actor, and host ofThe Late Late Show. Kilborn’s first introduction to national audiences came when he appeared as an anchor on ESPN’sSportsCenter, alongside hosts Rich Eisen, Keith Olbermann, and Dan Patrick, where he introduced his deadpan style of comedy and rapid-fire wit to morning audiences. Not content with sports talk, Kilborn moved onto late-night TV,taking over the brand newThe Daily Showas host.
It’s been lost to time, but Jon Stewart and his cadre offamous actors were not the beginning ofThe Daily Show. It’s Kilborn who first appeared behind the desk in 1996, lasting until 1998 when Stewart took over.Kilborn is well known for his sardonic delivery and snarky observationsof everything from the NBA to politics, though sports and general current events have always been his specialty rather than deep-cutting political talk. Unlike other talk show stars, Kilborn keeps a low profile, so not all fans are aware of what he’s been up to.
Why So Many People Dislike James Corden
Even though James Corden is no longer the host of The Late Late Show, he presented it for 8 years - despite all the hate thrown his way.
Craig Kilborn Stopped Hosting The Late Late Show Because Late-Night TV Was “Crowded”
Kilborn Stepped Down From The CBS Show In 2004
Kilborn leftThe Daily Showin 1998 to hostThe Late Late Showin 1999and stayed with the CBS show until 2004. In that time, he hosted 1914 episodes, which equates to six seasons of the show, contributing to makingThe Late Late Showone ofthe longest-running talk shows of all time. Kilborn’s tenure on the show was a successful one, and he competently hosted the show in the face of giants like Conan O’Brien, Jay Leno, and David Letterman.
He was doing so well that it came as a shock to CBS producers when Kilborn announced he would not be returning for a seventh season.
He was doing so well that it came as a shock to CBS producers when Kilborn announced he would not be returning for a seventh season. There was no big reason for Kilborn’s departure; he was just simply done with that portion of his life. As he told theLA Times,
“I didn’t leave to do anything else, I left to leave. I thought late-night was crowded … the formats repetitive. I achieved my goals, and it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. My job is done here.”
There wasn’t a falling out with the producers or one episode that bothered Kilborn,he just accomplished what he had set out to do and did not feel like doing anymore. Kilborn gladly discusses how he enjoyed “retirement” afterward to the fullest,
“I enjoyed retirement the right way — linguine con vongole, red wine and plenty of truffle cheese. It was my Orson Welles stage.”
Kilborn, who was never antagonistic towards those he worked with or the shows he was a part of, may have been mincing his words when discussing his reasons for leaving because his former head writer and producer onThe Late Late Show, Mike Gibbons, put it more bluntly,
“He was totally bored. He’d much rather do his comedy and not deal with three guests a night promoting their wares.”
Like the athlete he was, a Division I basketball player at Montana State University, Kilborn seems to have stopped enjoying the game of late-night after he won and hosting got too easy.
1995-1999
1999-2004
2004
2005-2014
2015
2015-2023
Kilborn Has Been Hosting The Comedy Podcast “The Life Gorgeous” Since 2022
Kilborn’s Podcast Allows For Freewheeling Discussions And Comedy
After a few acting gigs in movies likeOld SchoolandThe Benchwarmersand TV shows likeWorkaholicsandBoJack Horseman,Kilborn began a comedy podcast in 2022 calledThe Life Gorgeous. The podcast, which can be found on YouTube under the titleThe Craig Kilborn Podcast, has around 85 episodes, which generally run an hour but are occasionally around 15 minutes when he has a lesser topic.
Kilborn returned to TV hosting in 2010 withThe Kilborn File, a short-lived half-hour show on Fox that was not picked up after a six-week test run.
The Life Gorgeousis a freewheeling discussion show where Kilborn invites people from all backgrounds to discuss their lives and whatever is in the news.Craig Kilbornis incredibly witty and brilliant, and his podcast allows him to show his vast knowledge of many things in a comfortable and unplanned medium, so it’s never boring and constantly changing. It’s probably the best format for his style he could have found and, at only a few years old, it feels likeLife Gorgeouscould become the next big thing at any moment.
The Late Late Show
The Late Late Show is a talk-show similar to other talk shows from David Letterman, Seth Meyers, Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Fallon. Corden is the latest celebrity to helm the show in a long line-of hosts, including Tom Snyder, Craig Kilborn, and Craig Ferguson. In April 2022, the series was canceled, and the last episode aired in April 2023.
