Everyone is going to be watching, saysLate Nighthost Seth Meyers.
Particularly on the last night when the nominee speaks.
No one knows what will go down, but everyone is certain something major will.
Credit: ILLUSTRATION by LAEMEUR for EW
The reason for all this heightened attention is simple: The conventions could get crazy.
Like, historically crazy.
This is a unique election cycle on just about every level, saysLate Showexecutive producer Chris Licht.
Longtime Daily Show EP Steve Bodow agrees: Ive been at every one since 2004.
Clearly this year, and on the Republican side especially, its just going to be mayhem.
Anything can happen on the streets.
Real Time With Bill Maherexecutive producer/writer Scott Carter feels the same way.
Weve never seen a year like this, he says.
[Bills] always been a political junkie, but this year hes a political junkie times two.
To wit, the March 3 GOP debate on Fox News drew nearly 17 million viewers.
In contrast, the 2012 Republican debates reportedly peaked at 7.1 million viewers.
This will definitely be more watched than any of that.
In a way, its like watching NASCAR and hoping that something blows up.
Theres something morbid about it.
Bodow recalls late-nights lightbulb moment.
It started a year ago with Oh my God, how many people watched that Republican debate?'
What have we stumbled into here?
I cannot imagine what the audience level is going to be for these [special episodes].
Of course, not all conventions are created equal.
No one is prepared to make any hard predictions, and for good reason.
Ive grown wary of describing my expectations to anyone about this election, Meyers says.
Bodow is on the same page.
What if you had a political party and no one came?
I want two weeks of Republican conventions!
I think the connection would be so happy with that.
Trump is your headliner.
With a headliner like that…nobodys going to complain.
Well probably be hanging out together at a bar, says Miller.
And itll probably be a really gross bar.
I think by that point we may all have just collapsed into the Cuyahoga River.
The Daily Show With Trevor Noah
Comedy Central, 11 p.m.
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
CBS, 11:35 p.m.
The Nightly Show With Larry Wilmore
Comedy Central, 11:31 p.m.
ET
Wilmore will be covering the conventions, but he wont be taping there.
Its lazy to go to the conventions, as far as Im concerned, says Wilmore.
Its real comedy to do it remotely.
Full Frontal With Samantha Bee
TBS, 10:30 p.m. Real Time With Bill Maher
HBO, 10 p.m. Conan
TBS, 11 p.m.
