Theo Wargo/Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions, Paul Drinkwater/NBC/NBCU Photo Bank via Getty Images, Vince Bucci/Invision for the Television Academy/AP ImagesIt's finally time we leave award show-hosting to the real master of the monologue: Late-night television.
Jimmy Kimmel was just announced as the host of the 2017 Oscars, a pick by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences that only cements an emerging trend in the award show circuit.
His late-night rivals James Corden and Jimmy Fallon will both take a stab at an annual ceremony of their own, with the man behind "Carpool Karaoke" fittingly at the helm of the 2017 Grammys and Fallon on 2017 Golden Globes duty. And just last night, Stephen Colbert descended upon Washington D.C. to kick off the 2016 Kennedy Center Honors, albeit less mainstream, nonetheless a star-studded event.
When it comes down to numbers, Corden has his fellow late-night leaders beat by at least two telecasts (including his upcoming Grammys gig). In 2009, and again between 2011-2014, the Late Late Show host emceed the Brit Awards before hopping across the pond to lead the most-watched Tony Awards in 15 years in 2016. Trailing James is Jon Stewart, the former star of The Daily Show who, during his hosting heyday, took on the Academy Awards in 2006 and 2008, preceded by the Grammys in 2001 and 2002.
Then there's Kimmel, who landed the upcoming Academy Awards partly due to his successful hosting stints at the 2012 and 2016 Emmys. Conan O'Brien held television's biggest night down in 2002, 2003 and again four years later, while Seth Meyers tested his talent at the 2010 and 2011 ESPYs and later at the 2014 Emmys.
Rounding out late-night's takeover is Fallon who, despite dominating ratings across his two-year reign at the The Tonight Show, falls behind the rest with only two award shows under his belt—the 2010 Emmys and upcoming Golden Globes.
But as for the highest-earning man in late-night, a hefty payday doesn't necessarily equate to hosting opportunities. Colbert, who has mostly shied away from award season (save for receiving 27 Emmy nods and 9 actual statues across a 12-year span), tied with Fallon after earning $15 million in 2016, according to Forbes. O'Brien fell short of No. 1 by $2.5 million, and Kimmel made the top four cut with his $12 million salary.
So where does this pattern all stem from? Ratings, people. Ratings!
The 2016 Grammys' television viewership plummeted to a six-year low, so it makes sense the Recording Academy would pass the baton to Corden—fresh off his most successful year yet—to raise those digits. When it comes to last year's Academy Awards, it too experienced a major drop in ratings with Chris Rock hosting the third least-watched telecast in its history. As for the 2016 Golden Globes, it suffered an 11 percent decline from the previous ceremony, which was its second-highest viewed show in a decade.
And while there's still some time before the 2017 Emmys host is finalized, come reveal time it won't be surprising if one of late-night's finest has yet another shot at the honor.
Who's your money on for the coveted gig? Let us know in the comments!