The biggest names in late-night television are teaming up for a new podcast.
Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel and John Oliver will host “Strike Force Five,” a new limited series podcast debuting Aug. 30, on Spotify, according to a news release from the streaming service.
“Late night unite! Your new favorite podcast Strike Force Five premiers tomorrow with all of our proceeds going to staff and crew affected by the ongoing writers strike,” Fallon wrote on Instagram on Aug. 29, alongside the first look. “Check it out on Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.”
Fallon, Meyers and the gang will get together for at least 12 episodes, where each will take turns leading conversations about how they’re navigating the Writers Guild of America strike in Hollywood and beyond.
Life for all five hosts changed dramatically in early May when the WGA, which is a labor union representing writers in film, television, radio and online media, began its strike against film and TV companies in an effort to negotiate higher pay.
The work stoppage has practically shut down the entertainment industry, with everything from movies to television to game shows and the 75th annual Emmy Awards broadcast being rescheduled.
Folks in SAG-AFTRA, a labor union representing actors, recording artists and other media professionals, joined the writers on the picket line in July.
All of it has left Fallon, Meyers, Colbert, Kimmel and Oliver without much to do for months.
In the strikes’ early days, the five hosts got together on Zoom to discuss “the serious issues a work stoppage creates.” Instead, they had a blast, cracking each other up in a “series of hilarious and compelling conversations.”
Now, they’re opening up their once-private conversations for listeners everywhere.
Like Fallon mentioned in his Instagram, all proceeds received by the hosts from “Strike Force Five” will go to out-of-work staff from the hosts’ respective shows: “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon,” “Late Night With Seth Meyers,” “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert,” “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver.”
