From Conan to Fallon, TV’s Late Night Show Hosts Remember Kobe
The closer we get to moving on from this unspeakable tragedy, the harder it gets because the realization that Kobe Bryant, his daughter Gianna, and the seven others on board that helicopter are gone only becomes more real.
Tonight was the first night the comedians of late night got their chance to share their thoughts, condolences, and stories of Kobe Bryant.
It always makes it more sombering when you see comedians not only act serious, but fight back tears while talking on their late night shows. These are guys who have interviewed and interacted with Kobe countless times, so they shared their thoughts.
CONAN
First up was Conan O’Brien, who decided to share some of the best clips of Kobe’s time on his show. You really forget just how witty and intelligently funny he was until you see him improvising with Conan in these clips.
My gosh. The line about Phil Jackson burning something other than sage, or the subtle dig of Shaq about not being able to understand that perpetual slow-motion voice of his. Kobe very well could’ve hosted his own late night talk show, and I guarantee it would’ve been much better than The Magic Hour.
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The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon
Jimmy Fallon didn’t show any clips of Kobe, but rather opted for a personal story of the first time he and Kobe met. When Kobe was 17-years-old, fresh with the Lakers, and he was 21-years-old doing stand-up in Los Angeles. Grab a Kleenex for this one.
Welp, the waterworks stayed flowing throughout that story, but the cascade opened up when Jimmy mentioned going on a beer run together the next time they meet. Goodness, gracious. I feel like I need to open a window.
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Jimmy Kimmel Live
This was a show many people were probably anticipating, especially since the clip of Kobe talking about his daughter, Gianna, on this show went viral. Jimmy’s show is shot in the heart of downtown Hollywood, and he obviously held a close relationship with Kobe. I’m not sure if the show was originally scheduled to air tonight, but regardless, Jimmy opted for a show without a studio audience to just replay clips from any of the 15 times Kobe had been on his show.
It tears you up seeing guys who’s jobs are to literally bring laughter and joy onto TV every single night have nothing more to say than, “It’s all bad, it’s all sad” while trying to hold back tears.
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The Late Late Show with James Corden
James Corden opted for more of the eulogy approach with his kind words, explaining how basketball was never a big part of growing up in England, and yet Kobe transcended it all.
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Stephen Colbert and Seth Meyers were re-runs tonight. Colbert and Meyers both return live tomorrow (Tuesday), and as Kimmel mentioned in his clip, his show will return live tomorrow night (Tuesday), with Magic Johnson as a guest.
If this does anything, it should, at very least, broaden the magnitude of Kobe Bryant. His charisma, his comedy, his ability to talk about anything with intelligence and passion. Like I said in my piece yesterday, Kobe was more than a basketball player. In fact, basketball was merely the tip of Kobe’s iceberg.
Rest easy, Bean.
