Brian Williams Is Doing Straight-Up Comedy Bits Now
Brian Williams #BrianWilliams
Brian Williams is perhaps the most playful of the nightly cable news hosts, always bending over backwards to be folksy and friendly to his guests. He also may lean into subtle comedy with the greatest frequency. Based on this clip from last night’s program, though, it appears he’s dropping some of the subtlety.
Williams set up a clip ostensibly showing footage of the Donald Trump-Kevin McCarthy meeting. It was not actually a clip of the meeting. It was instead something you’d see from the days Conan O’Brien had that Walker, Texas Ranger lever near his desk in 30 Rock.
Two things. One, I guess this is what we’re doing now. Secondly, it was a pretty funny bit considering the tight parameters within which Williams has to create. It’ll be interesting to see if he’s emboldened by the laugh. It’d be incredible to tune in a month from now and have the 11th Hour be completely indistinguishable from something in the Jon Stewart-Stephen Colbert universe.