Strike Force Five

Strike Force Five is a limited series podcast hosted by American comedians and talk show hosts Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver. Running from August 30, 2023, to October 10, with 12 episodes, it was created to support the five hosts' employees who were out of work due to the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike. Upon its debut, the podcast hit the top charts on Spotify and Apple in the United States and received positive to mixed reviews.

Strike Force Five
Presentation
Hosted by
Genre
LanguageEnglish
Length51–72 minutes
Production
No. of episodes12 (list of episodes)
Publication
Original releaseAugust 30 (2023-08-30) –
October 10, 2023 (2023-10-10)
ProviderMegaphone[1]
Related
Websitestrikeforcefive.com

History

Background

On May 2, 2023, the Writers Guild of America (WGA), representing 11,500 screenwriters, went on strike over an ongoing labor dispute with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP). Production for many shows employing WGA members was immediately halted, including the hosts' respective talk shows, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.[2] Stephen Colbert suggested that the hosts keep in touch more during the strike, citing poor communication among the late-night hosts during the last writers' strike in 2008 as one of the reasons. The hosts began having weekly Zoom meetings to discuss the strike, which eventually led to the creation of the podcast named after their personal text chain.[3][4] Proceeds from the podcast would go to the hosts' employees, who were out of work because of the strike.[1][5][6]

Post-debut

On September 13, it was announced that Fallon, Kimmel, and Colbert would be performing together in a one-night-only live show called "Strike Force Three," originally scheduled for September 23 at the Dolby Live theater in Las Vegas. Much like Strike Force Five, the show was set to raise money for their staff members.[7][8][9] However, the live show was cancelled on September 20 because Kimmel tested positive for COVID-19.[10][11]

Several celebrities have made guest appearances on the podcast, including Jon Stewart,[12][13] David Letterman,[14][15] and Ryan Reynolds.[16] Conan O'Brien was set to be one of the guests, but the strike ended before he could be scheduled.[17]

As the writers' strike ended on September 27, allowing the production of late-night talk shows to resume, the hosts announced that the podcast would end after an unspecified number of episodes.[18][19] The podcast ended on October 10, 2023, after 12 episodes.[15][20]

Format

The podcast was set to run for at least 12 episodes, with each episode lasting approximately 60 minutes. During each episode, the five hosts would discuss one or more subjects, such as fishing or interesting facts about their parents, on a Zoom call.[6] The leading host, who is different for every episode, would usually decide on the subjects.[21][22] Additionally, a thunder sound effect played every time the podcast title was mentioned. The podcast's improvised nature aimed to demonstrate the importance of their staff members, such as researchers and writers, to their respective shows.[3]

Episodes
No.TitleLeading hostLengthOriginal air date
1"Five Late Night Hosts Talk at the Same Time for the First Time"Jimmy Kimmel1:06:31August 30, 2023 (2023-08-30)
2"A Second Episode About First Episodes"Seth Meyers1:03:31September 3, 2023 (2023-09-03)
3"Stories We Missed, Vasectomies and Moby Dick"Stephen Colbert59:29September 7, 2023 (2023-09-07)
4"Awards Show Screwups, Late Night Multiverse & Batman Wants to Murder Kimmel"John Oliver51:07September 12, 2023 (2023-09-12)
5"Strike Force Wives!"Jimmy Fallon1:01:39September 15, 2023 (2023-09-15)
6"The Guys Answer Questions from Listeners"Jimmy Kimmel51:42September 19, 2023 (2023-09-19)
7"Jon Stewart Makes it Six"Stephen Colbert57:44September 22, 2023 (2023-09-22)
8"The Talk Show Hosts Name Sneaky Great Talk Show Guests"Seth Meyers57:11September 26, 2023 (2023-09-26)
9"David Letterman Makes it Six"Jimmy Kimmel1:12:49September 29, 2023 (2023-09-29)
10"The Strike is Over But the Podcast Isn't Yet"John Oliver42:09October 3, 2023 (2023-10-03)
11"The Return of Strike Force Wives!"Jimmy Fallon1:06:40October 6, 2023 (2023-10-06)
12"The Strike Force Five Says Goodbye (with a Special Guest)"Seth Meyers and Stephen Colbert55:51October 10, 2023 (2023-10-10)

Reception

Strike Force Five received positive to mixed reviews, with many critics praising the cause but also commenting on the uneven quality of the podcast. Alexi Duggins of The Guardian thought there was a "lo-fi charm" to the podcast and found the conversations interesting.[23] Sarah Larson of The New Yorker considered the podcast to have "a value of its own", writing that it was refreshing to hear the hosts having friendly discussions while also supporting the strike.[24] Podcast critic Nicholas Quah on The Colin McEnroe Show podcast felt that the comedic potential of the podcast was unexplored.[25] Although Miranda Sawyer of The Guardian appreciated the podcast’s cause, she felt that the unscripted nature of the podcast sometimes leads to unfocused discussions.[26] Fiona Sturges of the Financial Times felt the quality of the podcast was inconsistent,[27] with Sean Malin of Vulture noting that it depended on who was hosting the episodes.[28] Fiona McCann of the Irish Times thought that the podcast was lackluster compared to the hosts' respective talk shows.[29] James Poniewozik of The New York Times described the podcast as "an amiable, shapeless session of five peers busting chops, trading shop talk and occasionally reading sponsor ads like modern day Joe Franklins."[30]

The podcast also saw responses from late-night staff members, subject-matter experts, and other late-night hosts. Bill Carter, author of The Late Shift and The War for Late Night, praised the idea and said that the hosts "get along pretty well, which is kind of atypical for the history of late night."[5] Sarah Kobos, photo research coordinator for The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, expressed her gratitude for the podcast going towards helping fellow staff members.[3] Greg Gutfeld, who hosts Gutfeld! on Fox News, called the podcast "pathetic" and additionally criticized the comedy styles of the hosts' shows.[31] Gutfeld's show was unaffected by the writers' strike because it does not employ WGA writers.[32]

Many critics consider the fifth episode, "Strike Force Wives!", the best episode of the podcast.[15][20] Seth Meyers commented that it was "the launch pad" for Strike Force Five, as the hosts discovered that audiences enjoyed a looser approach to the podcast.[33]

During Strike Force Five's run, Rolling Stone published a report that detailed the alleged toxic work environment on The Tonight Show caused by Fallon's "erratic behavior".[34] Nina Metz of the Chicago Tribune commented on what it meant for the future of the podcast, saying, "These are public figures who have worked to cultivate reputations as decent human beings who are sincerely interested in the people who work for them. [...] How does continuing with Fallon – as if nothing is amiss – not tarnish that?"[35] Linda Holmes on NPR's Pop Culture Happy Hour podcast also expressed her uncertainty about the future of the podcast, saying that it would be odd to not address the allegations even if they had prerecorded episodes.[36] It was later revealed that at least two other episodes were recorded before the report,[37] and the controversy remained unaddressed after the end of the podcast.[15][20]

The podcast debuted at number one on the podcast and news podcast charts of both Apple and Spotify in the United States.[21][38]

References
  1. Spangler, Todd (August 29, 2023). "Late-Night Hosts Hook Up for Spotify Podcast With Proceeds to Benefit Unemployed Staffers During Writers Strike". Variety. Archived from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  2. Porter, Rick (May 2, 2023). "Late Night Shows Shut Down With WGA Strike". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  3. Rancilio, Alicia (August 31, 2023). "Late-night hosts team up for 'Strike Force Five' podcast to benefit their out-of-work staff". The Washington Post. Associated Press. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on September 10, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  4. Rose, Lacey (August 29, 2023). "Five Late Night Hosts Unite to Launch Podcast Benefiting Strike-Impacted Staff". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  5. Limbong, Andrew (August 31, 2023). "Late night TV hosts team up for a new podcast amid the writers' strike". NPR. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  6. Horton, Adrian (August 30, 2023). "Strike Force Five: what happens when late-night TV hosts make a podcast?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  7. Rose, Lacey (September 13, 2023). "Late Night Hosts Set One-Off 'Strike Force' Live Show in Las Vegas". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  8. Schneider, Michael (September 13, 2023). "Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon to Host Live Podcast Event Next Weekend in Las Vegas". Variety. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 14, 2023.
  9. White, Peter (September 13, 2023). "Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon & Jimmy Kimmel Set Live Las Vegas Show As Part Of 'Strike Force' Team Up". Deadline. Archived from the original on September 13, 2023. Retrieved September 19, 2023.
  10. Seitz, Loree (September 20, 2023). "Late-Night Hosts Cancel Live 'Strike Force Five' Show". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 24, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  11. Weprin, Alex (September 20, 2023). "Live 'Strike Force' Recording and Steve Martin, Martin Short's Las Vegas Shows Canceled Due to COVID". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 22, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  12. Stern, Marlow (September 22, 2023). "Jon Stewart Crashes 'Strike Force Five' Podcast to Roast John Oliver". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  13. Lewis, Hilary (September 22, 2023). "Jon Stewart Stops by 'Strike Force Five' Podcast, Reveals How He Fills Void Left by 'Daily Show'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  14. Cobb, Kayla (September 29, 2023). "David Letterman 'Certain' He Never Told Les Moonves to Look for a 'Late Show' Replacement". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  15. Busis, Hillary (October 10, 2023). "Farewell to 'Strike Force Five,' Late Night's Winning Podcast Experiment". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  16. Hudgins, Ryan (October 10, 2023). "Ryan Reynolds Reveals He Got So 'Bonelessly Drunk' on John McEnroe's Show His Appearance Never Aired". Yahoo Entertainment. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  17. Guy, Zoe (September 27, 2023). "The Strike Force Five Return to Their Day Jobs". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved September 27, 2023.
  18. Ushe, Naledi (September 27, 2023). "Late-night TV is back: Jimmy Fallon, Stephen Colbert, more to return after writers strike". USA Today. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  19. Koblin, John; Nerkar, Santul (September 27, 2023). "With Strike Over, Late Night Shows Will Return Next Week". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 28, 2023. Retrieved September 28, 2023.
  20. McCarthy, Sean L. (October 11, 2023). "How Strike Force Five Made Jimmy Fallon the Punchline". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  21. Haring, Bruce (September 1, 2023). "'Strike Force Five' Premiere Tops Podcast Charts, Keeps Talk Show Hosts Busy During Labor Strife". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on September 14, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
  22. Seitz, Loree (September 1, 2023). "'Strike Force Five' Podcast Climbs to Top Spotify Charts". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 8, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  23. Richardson, Hollie; Duggins, Alexi; Verdier, Hannah; O'Neill, Lauren (September 7, 2023). "Best podcasts of the week: A lighthearted look back at the disastrous Liz Truss reign". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on September 15, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  24. Larson, Sarah (September 29, 2023). "So Long, "Strike Force Five"". The New Yorker. ISSN 0028-792X. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved September 30, 2023.
  25. McEnroe, Colin; Quah, Nicholas (September 8, 2023). "A look at 'Strike Force Five' and the value of physical media, plus endorsements". The Colin McEnroe Show (Podcast). Connecticut Public Radio. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 15, 2023.
  26. Sawyer, Miranda (September 9, 2023). "The week in audio: Strike Force Five; British Scandal; Intrigue: The Immortals – reviews". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  27. Sturges, Fiona (September 4, 2023). "John Oliver and Jimmy Fallon try their hands at a podcast with Strike Force Five — review". Financial Times. Archived from the original on September 6, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  28. Malin, Sean (September 21, 2023). "Strike Force Five Heralds Podcasting's First True Supergroup". Vulture. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 22, 2023.
  29. McCann, Fiona (September 16, 2023). "Strike Force Five: Top TV hosts shoot the breeze for a good cause". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on September 19, 2023. Retrieved September 17, 2023.
  30. Poniewozik, James (September 18, 2023). "The Talk Shows Have Labor Pains". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  31. Dickey, Josh (September 22, 2023). "Greg Gutfeld Drags 'Pathetic' Late-Night Hosts Podcast 'Strike Force Five': 'Like a Staff Meeting During COVID' (Video)". TheWrap. Archived from the original on September 23, 2023. Retrieved September 23, 2023.
  32. White, Peter (May 2, 2023). "'Gutfeld!' To Remain On Fox News Despite Strike". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on May 2, 2023. Retrieved September 24, 2023.
  33. Chitwood, Adam (October 20, 2023). "Seth Meyers on His Return to 'Late Night,' the Evolution of 'Strike Force Five' and a 'Warmer' Talk Show Host Era". TheWrap. Retrieved October 23, 2023.
  34. Yandoli, Krystie Lee (September 7, 2023). "Chaos, Comedy, and 'Crying Rooms': Inside Jimmy Fallon's 'Tonight Show'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  35. Metz, Nina (September 7, 2023). "Column: Jimmy Fallon allegations and Strike Force Five". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  36. Holmes, Linda; Deggans, Eric; Katzif, Mike; Reedy, Jessica (September 11, 2023). "We unpack Jimmy Fallon and the 'Strike Force Five' podcast". Pop Culture Happy Hour (Podcast). NPR. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 12, 2023.
  37. Hibberd, James (September 12, 2023). "Why 'Strike Force Five' Podcast's New Episode Doesn't Mention the Jimmy Fallon Controversy". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on September 12, 2023. Retrieved September 13, 2023.
  38. Lowry, Brian (September 5, 2023). "Topping podcast charts, 'Strike Force Five' gives a public face to the writers' strike". CNN. Archived from the original on September 7, 2023. Retrieved September 9, 2023.
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