The Gist

When Did Late Night Stop Being Fun?

Comedian Guy Branum on the “controlled fun” of late night, and how Talk Show: The Game Show promises to fix that.

Kyle Kinane, left, and Guy Branum in an episode of Talk Show: The Game Show.

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Once upon a time, late-night talk shows were like boozy dinner parties, fun chat-fests where movie stars would reveal a little too much about themselves. Now, they’re marked by anti-septic games of charades and sing-alongs. Comedian Guy Branum wants to bring anarchy back to late night with Talk Show: The Game Show. “We’ll all watch these people in TV and singing; we know what they’re good at,” says Branum. “A talk show should let you inside of them a bit more.”

Plus, we head back to Vexillological Corner for a discussion of city flags with flag expert Ted Kaye.

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