Spotify announced Tuesday it has united the hosts of all the major network late-night talk shows — Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, Seth Meyers and John Oliver— for a unique podcast benefiting their out-of-work writing staff.
Strike Force Five launches Wednesday, August 30, on Spotify and across most major podcast platforms.
Late-night shows were the first to go dark as a result of the Writers Guild of America strike in May; the SAG-AFTRA strike was called in July, and Hollywood ground to a halt nearly altogether.
Strike Force Five started out as a meeting between the hosts to discuss the strike situation, Spotify explains in the announcement. “What ensued was a series of hilarious and compelling conversations.” And now “fans can listen in on these once-private chats.”
It explains, “All proceeds received by the hosts from Strike Force Five will go to out-of-work staff from the hosts’ respective shows, including 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.”
The series will be hosted on Spotify’s Megaphone, and supported by Ryan Reynolds’ Mint Mobile and his Aviation Gin partner Diageo as co-presenting sponsors.
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