As the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes persist, late-night TV hosts Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Seth Meyers are teaming up to help out their strike-impacted staff. They've announced the launch of a special Spotify podcast aptly named Strike Force Five. The podcast is set to have a minimum of 12 episodes, which debuted on August 30th. Every episode will feature all five hosts engaging in discussions with rotating leadership. Impressively, all proceeds from the podcast will go to support the sidelined staff from their respective shows. You can listen to the first episode here.
The idea for this innovative podcast originated from the weekly Zoom meetings that the late-night hosts initiated once the WGA strike kicked off in May. These virtual check-ins enabled the hosts to remain united during the work stoppage, which led to the temporary shutdown of their shows — Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Late Show With Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Last Week Tonight With John Oliver, and Late Night With Seth Meyers. As the conversations progressed, transitioning to the podcast format seemed like a natural progression.
Surprisingly, these hosts have forged strong bonds and embraced collaboration, a far cry from the rivalries and conflicts that marked late-night history in the past. The era of animosity between hosts like Jay Leno and David Letterman is giving way to a harmonious atmosphere where late-night personalities often appear as friendly guests on each other's shows. The camaraderie goes beyond appearances; Kimmel and Fallon even traded staff and shows as part of an April Fools' Day prank. The ongoing strikes have further fostered unity, with Oliver and Meyers joining forces for stand-up performances.
The Strike Force Five podcast will be proudly supported by Ryan Reynolds' Mint Mobile and Diageo (featuring Aviation American Gin, Bulleit Frontier Whiskey, Casamigos, and Ketel One Vodka) as co-presenting sponsors. Spotify's Megaphone platform will host the series, and Spotify itself will serve as the exclusive sales partner for the podcast.
