Late last night it was announced that Larry Wilmore—popular comedian, television writer, and “senior black correspondent” on Jon Stewart’s Daily Show—will replace Stephen Colbert in Comedy Central’s 11:30 time slot. Wilmore’s show, The Minority Report with Larry Wilmore, will debut in January 2015, a few weeks after Colbert leaves for his new Late Show throne.
It’s a solid hire, as Wilmore is an accomplished wit with a sterling track record in television: besides his lauded work on The Daily Show, he created the critically-acclaimed Bernie Mac Show, and will also serve as executive producer of forthcoming ABC sitcom Black-ish. The real victory here, of course, is the refreshing addition of a minority voice to the white-male-dominated landscape of late night television. Wilmore is an ideal choice to subvert that genre’s stale perspectives—he’s a thoughtful and compassionate comedian, but one unafraid to confront issues of race, politics, and even Mormonism.
As for how Wilmore’s Report will differ from Colbert’s, details have been scarce: Comedy Central said in a statement that the show will use a panel format and be largely scripted, but much of the show’s structure will be hashed out in the coming months.
