“Late Night” host Seth Meyers livened up the NBC upfronts presentation on Monday with some network-specific humor and some extremely funny upfronts-related jokes.
“The upfronts have been post-truth since the beginning… This week has been the definition of fake news,” Meyers stated at the beginning of his bit, describing the very nature of upfronts.
His monologue proved why he’s one of the best in late night — combining his love of a quippy punchline, political humor and non-sequiturs to cover the gamut of the NBC universe. Here are some of Meyers’ best jokes from the presentation.
On NBC Executives
“TV executives talk about new shows the way Trump talks about healthcare: ‘You’re gonna have the best shows.”
On “This is Us”
The drama “This is Us” was one of the network’s biggest hits last season. Meyers likened it to NBC showing it off “like a girl shows off the diamond on her engagement ring.”
Meyers got a lot of laughs when he riffed on how “This is Us” is the first time in 13 years that NBC had a show that led the week in ratings. It should be called “This Is Unlike Us,” he said.
On “Will and Grace:”
Will this be the fifth Dick Wolf Chicago show? Meyers said he was worried NBC was going to call “Will & Grace” “Chicago Gay.”
On Steve Harvey
Steve Harvey was supposed to be at the NBC upfronts presentation, according to Meyers, but “No one is brave enough to knock on his dressing room door,” he said in response to news that Harvey no longer wants visitors in his dressing room.
On Some of NBC’s Other Networks
Other networks were represented at upfronts, including E! Entertainment, Bravo and the Golf Channel. Meyers didn’t forget them. “Golf Channel and Bravo — the two NBC channels most likely to be on at the same time in different rooms.”