No One Is Crushing Late Night Like James Acaster

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https://youtube.com/watch?v=watch?app=desktop&feature=shared&v=pTbALzICA6c&ab_channel=LateNightwithSethMeyers

Exceptional late-night guests have a knack for capturing a talk show and reshaping it according to their unique comedic style, leaving the host with no choice but to join in harmoniously. Characters like Norm Macdonald, Amy Sedaris, Charles Grodin, Tracy Morgan, Bill Burr, and more have demonstrated this skill over numerous appearances on Late Night With Seth Meyers since 2021. Joining their ranks is U.K. comedian James Acaster, who has made a lasting impression since his debut in 2021. Following his last appearance in November 2024, Meyers expressed his gratitude for guests like Acaster, stating, “Thankful for guests like James Acaster who leave me helpless with laughter.” Last night, Meyers’ amusement at Acaster’s antics continued unabated.

In this conversation on Meyers’s couch, Acaster managed to accomplish quite a few things within his 14 minutes: he poked fun at the show’s structure, made quick, humorous remarks that didn’t always follow logically, expressed his political opinions, spread potentially damaging gossip about Meyers’s stand-up career, told an elaborate story, started a feud with John Oliver, referred back to earlier jokes, and criticized the royal family.

Regarding his conflict with Oliver, Acaster has issues with Oliver’s doubts about the British version of SNL, claiming that it stems from Oliver’s bitterness over his own failed attempt to adapt SNL in the UK. According to Acaster, this show only lasted for two episodes and featured Oliver as the sole cast member who played all characters, ate fish and chips, and aired sketches like “Less Cowbell,” where Joy Division was asked to tone down their use of cowbell during recording sessions. The program was eventually canceled and replaced by a series called Cohorts, which Acaster humorously compared to the English version of Friends. He left Meyers and the audience puzzled for a moment before explaining that it’s an English adaptation of the show “Friends.

The performer, who honed their skills over years of competing with fellow comedians to grab a moment’s spotlight on British panel shows, has now mastered the art of making every second count on-air. It doesn’t matter that Acaster fabricated his backstory; by now, he’s set the rules for the show and everyone else is simply following along.

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2025-06-18 20:53