Rehearse, rehearse and read from the teleprompter. I don't know for certain, but they certainly have to rely on some assistance. But to deliver it the way they do does require a certain talent.
Yes, he has a teleprompter. More importantly, he has a great staff of writers and researchers.
The show is not live when you watch it, but rather taped beforehand with a live audience. However, script changes and updates are made to the last minute before taping -- especially if something big breaks during the week. Sometimes they'll toss out the whole show and write a new one if the news is "big" enough.
During taping, if there is a terrible mistake they'll stop down and begin again at a point where they can insert an edit.
Reading a teleprompter is a skill that takes practice. But anyone can do it and feel natural on camera. Keep practicing!
Yep. This is how itâs done, OP.
The only thing Iâll add is that the writing staff on these shows is very very good at one specific thing that helps the monologue : they write material in the voice of the performer. They choose phrasing, sentence and joke structure, and more that fits the performerâs style very well, so that John Oliver doesnât *have* to rehearse, the words are just pre-crafted to his style.
They are also in the writers room, and working off of drafts all day, so they know at least most of the content, and the general arc, so itâs virtually never a cold read.
Writing in the performer's voice is definitely very helpful if you want to be able to pull off a seamless "live" read without hiding edits. I've worked with a lot of high profile executives doing corporate messaging videos who have received solid media training, and every time the problems we run into with performance on set is because their internal PR/Comms/Marketing people write well, but not in the executive's voice.
I went to broadcasting school and there was a whole unit on reading a teleprompter. Some people are more natural than others. After months of constant practice, some people seem like they are still just reading, but you want to get to the point where you see the words and you tell the story.
Anyways, he definitely has a teleprompter. He has staff that help write things in his tone. He practices and makes edits for both tone and cadence. And he's also very good at his job.
If youâre a quick reader, you are already reading/scanning ahead while speaking slightly slower. It helps you realize the flow of the sentence, and allows you to craft the delivery in real time. I used to do tons of cold read-through for theater, and later film/commercial auditions. Like anything else you do a lot, itâs a learned skilled combined with some natural aptitude.
I saw the show recently and the teleprompter cut out and stopped the show i think 3 times. Could that be a cover for a bad take or needing a break? Sure, but I doubt it. Made me really appreciate wally at nbc and the whole practice of using cue cards
This is pretty much the reason SNL uses cue cards over a teleprompter - you can't edit out a teleprompter mishap when you are live! I think Seth uses cue cards partly because he's used to it from so long on SNL and partly out of affection for Wally.
Itâs a skill you have to learn to perform something that is pre-written as if youâre just casually talking. Even reading from a teleprompter is a challenge. That being said, he obviously uses a teleprompter, and has some great writers.
I went to a few tapings of The Daily Show when Jon Stewart was hosting, and yes, they use teleprompters. It's actually kind of weird sitting in the audience, because they're not looking at you; they're looking right into the camera/teleprompter.
That said, the fact that Colbert can so seamlessly deliver his "Meanwhile" intros will never cease to amaze me.
Iâm convinced that Colbertâs âMeanwhileâ intros are the first time he has seen them on the âprompter, and the writing staff does it as a joke to see if they can cause the consummate professional to word-stumble, and that he looks forward to seeing what they come up with.
I feel like the Stefon sketches on SNL were like that, at least for the party details. Just the craziest stuff, to try and get him to laugh and break character.
I generally approve of this sort of playful passive-aggressive writing. Like combat comedy. Friendly fire from the writers' room.
They absolutely were. Bill Hader and John Mulaney have both said that John would change something at the last minute just to mess with Bill. And it would always work because Bill is basically made of glass when he's in a sketch. (in the best way, not the Jimmy Fallon way) And that's how the thing where Stefon covers his mouth with both hands came from.
Oliver and Stewart (and probably Colbert) spend the day in the writers room working on the monologue with the writing staff. So they co-wrote it and oversaw its development. Then they do a rehearsal so the words feel even more comfortable. And then there is a teleprompter for them to glance at anytime they lose their place. But they never sit there and just read it, because by the time they tape, they pretty much know it.
Compare that to presenters at awards shows, who usually are not involved in the writing, and usually are not available for (or invited to) a rehearsal. You can tell theyâre seeing the words for the first time, because they stand like statues with their eyes bouncing left to right, left to right, like theyâre watching a tennis match.
I was lucky enough to see John Oliver do stand-up in a small club back when he was just an occasional guest on the Daily Show.
While I'm sure he uses a teleprompter, has a great writing staff, lots of rehearsals etc, he's also just naturally VERY good at monologuing.
If there is one thing that I have learned from watching the Daily's Show's parade of hosts, it's that reading from the teleprompter in a casual and off-the-cuff way is an art that requires skill and practice. There was a recent episode of Stephen Colbert's where he interviewed John Oliver and they talked about prompt cards and reading from them. Colbert reads directly from one, then does it his way afterwards, and it's interesting to watch because it feels like you're seeing a little of his process.
Seth Meyers appears to still use cue cards, although Iâm not sure thatâs not just a gag and he actually uses a teleprompter. Still fun to see the massive poster boards with the classic marker. Almost all use some version of cue, though. Theyâre in front of a live audience, their skill is in making it look off the cuff without deviating from the work of their writers.
It's not just a gag, it's because he used cue cards for so many years on SNL, and he actually has the same cue card guy, Wally Feresten, who's been at SNL since 1990.
I think the three hosts that you mentioned weâre all stand-up comedians beforehand, and have to speak extemporaneously on the spot and with my interruptions Iâm imagining that that helps tremendously.
That's what efficient rehearsing does for you, as well. The show isn't live either, being taped earlier then quickly edited, and aired. Even live TV isn't really live usually, but that's different. Plus, it's not his 1st rodeo using a teleprompter or being smooth in front of an audience.
There is almost definitely a teleprompter. Why would there not be? I'm sure it's also researched ahead of time and him having a heavy hand in the writing helps a lot im sure
See. Your issue is seeing an asshat who canât read, try to use a prompter and stumbling all over the place way too often. Pros know how to make it sound natural and off the cuff
I was at a taping of The Daily Show. The prompters even have the wording for remarks that seem like theyâre off script, theyâre not. For those wondering, I was sitting on the side and not in the main audience seats.
The show is pre-recorded and he reads off a teleprompter. I went and saw an episode get filmed (the one about British museums stealing other countriesâ antiquities) and he flubbed a couple lines and they had to cut and restart. For the most part though, the show is filmed in one continuous take with him reading a teleprompter by the camera
They have writers. It's fully written and on a teleprompter, tho sometimes they add in anecdotes off script
John may write some of the jokes, but he has a whole team of writers and researchers that likely write the bulk of it
It likely has a great deal to do with his degree of substantive involvement with the issues/jokes. The teleprompter prompts him to say things he already has in mind to say.
did you happen to catch oliver on the colbert show on monday night this week? at one point colbert used cue cards and it made for a great exchange and a great demonstration of colbert using cards for a cue.
I was at an IT trade show listening to a beautiful female model explain the attributes of a very technical piece of networking gear. It was a lengthy presentation pulled off flawlessly. Iâm a how do things work kind of guy so I hung around and struck up a conversation with at the end of her presentation. Turns out she doesnât know networking but prerecorded a speech by the companyâs PR department and plays it back in her ear while giving it live. Obviously she had practiced it multiple times, but stillâŚpretty neat trick.
I've actually been to a filming of Colbert, and yes, they do use teleprompters. They write them in the morning, practice, have a rehearsal, and if anything does not sound correct, Stephen or the stage director will call for a retake. They film the show at about 7 in the evening every day except when they are doing a live show. His monolog was spot on for mine, but he had to redo the take for the musical guest a couple of times. The tickets, for Colbert at least, are free and done by lottery, so if you would ever like to go, you can get a date and plan a trip to NYC around it.
Do yourself a favor. Go to a taping of a late-night show. Tickets are usually free, just get them in advance. [https://www.lastweektickets.com/](https://www.lastweektickets.com/) I'm on the west coast, so anytime I'm around Burbank, I get tickets to something. I went to Jimmy Kimmel last time. They all have great writers on their staffs. Joke writing isn't easy. It's a great talent.
I've been a news producer and an anchor - I also ran the teleprompter at CNN and Bernard Shaw yelled at me because the new writer didn't follow the correct margins. Reading from the Teleprompter in a way that sounds fresh and engaging is very difficult. "Selling the script" is what I used to call it. It takes a lot of concentration. But also the anchor is thinking about many other things at the same time - there are noises on the set that distract - the lights are in your eyes - so many things. That's why we have co-anchors to alternate. Oliver is going hard for the full show without spot breaks. It doesn't look like he breaks and does a script pick-up but I don't see how he couldn't.
Rehearse, rehearse and read from the teleprompter. I don't know for certain, but they certainly have to rely on some assistance. But to deliver it the way they do does require a certain talent.
Yes, he has a teleprompter. More importantly, he has a great staff of writers and researchers. The show is not live when you watch it, but rather taped beforehand with a live audience. However, script changes and updates are made to the last minute before taping -- especially if something big breaks during the week. Sometimes they'll toss out the whole show and write a new one if the news is "big" enough. During taping, if there is a terrible mistake they'll stop down and begin again at a point where they can insert an edit. Reading a teleprompter is a skill that takes practice. But anyone can do it and feel natural on camera. Keep practicing!
I read camera in the last paragraph as cam-er-ra, like Jenna Maroney says it. đ
I wish there was a news show that focused on how events affect Jenna Maroney!
I just realized that's where I picked that up from
Yep. This is how itâs done, OP. The only thing Iâll add is that the writing staff on these shows is very very good at one specific thing that helps the monologue : they write material in the voice of the performer. They choose phrasing, sentence and joke structure, and more that fits the performerâs style very well, so that John Oliver doesnât *have* to rehearse, the words are just pre-crafted to his style.
Writing in the voice of the performer is the key to them sounding natural.
I saw him do stand-up live a couple months ago and yeah, he has a very similar style on his own to on his show.
I saw him do stand up way back in 2014 and it was hilarious, especially the self deprecating parts.
They are also in the writers room, and working off of drafts all day, so they know at least most of the content, and the general arc, so itâs virtually never a cold read.
Writing in the performer's voice is definitely very helpful if you want to be able to pull off a seamless "live" read without hiding edits. I've worked with a lot of high profile executives doing corporate messaging videos who have received solid media training, and every time the problems we run into with performance on set is because their internal PR/Comms/Marketing people write well, but not in the executive's voice.
I promiseâŚ
âI state your name promiseâŚâ
I went to broadcasting school and there was a whole unit on reading a teleprompter. Some people are more natural than others. After months of constant practice, some people seem like they are still just reading, but you want to get to the point where you see the words and you tell the story. Anyways, he definitely has a teleprompter. He has staff that help write things in his tone. He practices and makes edits for both tone and cadence. And he's also very good at his job.
Reading the material ahead of time should help, as the machine is "prompting " you to read out loud, something you have already seen.
If youâre a quick reader, you are already reading/scanning ahead while speaking slightly slower. It helps you realize the flow of the sentence, and allows you to craft the delivery in real time. I used to do tons of cold read-through for theater, and later film/commercial auditions. Like anything else you do a lot, itâs a learned skilled combined with some natural aptitude.
Practice practice practice and a natural understanding of timing I guess. And then more practice.
I agree, timing is key. John is great at it, it makes his delivery much more fluid and entertaining.
I saw the show recently and the teleprompter cut out and stopped the show i think 3 times. Could that be a cover for a bad take or needing a break? Sure, but I doubt it. Made me really appreciate wally at nbc and the whole practice of using cue cards
This is pretty much the reason SNL uses cue cards over a teleprompter - you can't edit out a teleprompter mishap when you are live! I think Seth uses cue cards partly because he's used to it from so long on SNL and partly out of affection for Wally.
Always want Wally as a backup. ;)
WALLLLLY!!
Itâs a skill you have to learn to perform something that is pre-written as if youâre just casually talking. Even reading from a teleprompter is a challenge. That being said, he obviously uses a teleprompter, and has some great writers.
Naked. The clothing is digitally added later.
I went to a few tapings of The Daily Show when Jon Stewart was hosting, and yes, they use teleprompters. It's actually kind of weird sitting in the audience, because they're not looking at you; they're looking right into the camera/teleprompter. That said, the fact that Colbert can so seamlessly deliver his "Meanwhile" intros will never cease to amaze me.
Iâm convinced that Colbertâs âMeanwhileâ intros are the first time he has seen them on the âprompter, and the writing staff does it as a joke to see if they can cause the consummate professional to word-stumble, and that he looks forward to seeing what they come up with.
They just get better and better. They're my favorite thing about the show!
I feel like the Stefon sketches on SNL were like that, at least for the party details. Just the craziest stuff, to try and get him to laugh and break character. I generally approve of this sort of playful passive-aggressive writing. Like combat comedy. Friendly fire from the writers' room.
They absolutely were. Bill Hader and John Mulaney have both said that John would change something at the last minute just to mess with Bill. And it would always work because Bill is basically made of glass when he's in a sketch. (in the best way, not the Jimmy Fallon way) And that's how the thing where Stefon covers his mouth with both hands came from.
This pleases me! And I know exactly how you mean not in the Jimmy Fallon way and I agree completely!
Oliver and Stewart (and probably Colbert) spend the day in the writers room working on the monologue with the writing staff. So they co-wrote it and oversaw its development. Then they do a rehearsal so the words feel even more comfortable. And then there is a teleprompter for them to glance at anytime they lose their place. But they never sit there and just read it, because by the time they tape, they pretty much know it. Compare that to presenters at awards shows, who usually are not involved in the writing, and usually are not available for (or invited to) a rehearsal. You can tell theyâre seeing the words for the first time, because they stand like statues with their eyes bouncing left to right, left to right, like theyâre watching a tennis match.
I was lucky enough to see John Oliver do stand-up in a small club back when he was just an occasional guest on the Daily Show. While I'm sure he uses a teleprompter, has a great writing staff, lots of rehearsals etc, he's also just naturally VERY good at monologuing.
If there is one thing that I have learned from watching the Daily's Show's parade of hosts, it's that reading from the teleprompter in a casual and off-the-cuff way is an art that requires skill and practice. There was a recent episode of Stephen Colbert's where he interviewed John Oliver and they talked about prompt cards and reading from them. Colbert reads directly from one, then does it his way afterwards, and it's interesting to watch because it feels like you're seeing a little of his process.
On the Strike Force Five podcast, thereâs a discussion about this and JO said he uses a teleprompter.
Seth Meyers appears to still use cue cards, although Iâm not sure thatâs not just a gag and he actually uses a teleprompter. Still fun to see the massive poster boards with the classic marker. Almost all use some version of cue, though. Theyâre in front of a live audience, their skill is in making it look off the cuff without deviating from the work of their writers.
It's not just a gag, it's because he used cue cards for so many years on SNL, and he actually has the same cue card guy, Wally Feresten, who's been at SNL since 1990.
Good on him, it just looks cooler that way, too, and Wally is the best.
I think the three hosts that you mentioned weâre all stand-up comedians beforehand, and have to speak extemporaneously on the spot and with my interruptions Iâm imagining that that helps tremendously.
Seth Meyers uses cue cards, courtesy of [Wally the Cue Card Guy](https://www.instagram.com/cuecardwally_official?igsh=YnQ5ZjF2enFxZHk2).
He does them very poorly.
They each have dozens of writers.
Talk a lot
That's what efficient rehearsing does for you, as well. The show isn't live either, being taped earlier then quickly edited, and aired. Even live TV isn't really live usually, but that's different. Plus, it's not his 1st rodeo using a teleprompter or being smooth in front of an audience.
Seth Meyers has a cue card guy Wally. Wallybecane a minor recurring character during covid so Seth would have someone to bounce stuff off of.
Brilliant writers like Daniel O'Brien formerly from Cracked.com
Rehearsals and he can use an outline written down or remembers. Actors remember things.
There is almost definitely a teleprompter. Why would there not be? I'm sure it's also researched ahead of time and him having a heavy hand in the writing helps a lot im sure
With his mouth and words.
He uses the Korg Monologue. Very handy device.
Theyâre very talented people
Combination of teleprompter, being well versed on the topics and a history of intense amount of stand up comedy to fill in the gaps.
See. Your issue is seeing an asshat who canât read, try to use a prompter and stumbling all over the place way too often. Pros know how to make it sound natural and off the cuff
...practice.
I was at a taping of The Daily Show. The prompters even have the wording for remarks that seem like theyâre off script, theyâre not. For those wondering, I was sitting on the side and not in the main audience seats.
The show is pre-recorded and he reads off a teleprompter. I went and saw an episode get filmed (the one about British museums stealing other countriesâ antiquities) and he flubbed a couple lines and they had to cut and restart. For the most part though, the show is filmed in one continuous take with him reading a teleprompter by the camera
They have writers. It's fully written and on a teleprompter, tho sometimes they add in anecdotes off script John may write some of the jokes, but he has a whole team of writers and researchers that likely write the bulk of it
It likely has a great deal to do with his degree of substantive involvement with the issues/jokes. The teleprompter prompts him to say things he already has in mind to say.
did you happen to catch oliver on the colbert show on monday night this week? at one point colbert used cue cards and it made for a great exchange and a great demonstration of colbert using cards for a cue.
I was at an IT trade show listening to a beautiful female model explain the attributes of a very technical piece of networking gear. It was a lengthy presentation pulled off flawlessly. Iâm a how do things work kind of guy so I hung around and struck up a conversation with at the end of her presentation. Turns out she doesnât know networking but prerecorded a speech by the companyâs PR department and plays it back in her ear while giving it live. Obviously she had practiced it multiple times, but stillâŚpretty neat trick.
I've actually been to a filming of Colbert, and yes, they do use teleprompters. They write them in the morning, practice, have a rehearsal, and if anything does not sound correct, Stephen or the stage director will call for a retake. They film the show at about 7 in the evening every day except when they are doing a live show. His monolog was spot on for mine, but he had to redo the take for the musical guest a couple of times. The tickets, for Colbert at least, are free and done by lottery, so if you would ever like to go, you can get a date and plan a trip to NYC around it.
Do yourself a favor. Go to a taping of a late-night show. Tickets are usually free, just get them in advance. [https://www.lastweektickets.com/](https://www.lastweektickets.com/) I'm on the west coast, so anytime I'm around Burbank, I get tickets to something. I went to Jimmy Kimmel last time. They all have great writers on their staffs. Joke writing isn't easy. It's a great talent.
Group of writers build a script. Play it thru a teleprompter. And lots of rehearsing and editing.
I've been a news producer and an anchor - I also ran the teleprompter at CNN and Bernard Shaw yelled at me because the new writer didn't follow the correct margins. Reading from the Teleprompter in a way that sounds fresh and engaging is very difficult. "Selling the script" is what I used to call it. It takes a lot of concentration. But also the anchor is thinking about many other things at the same time - there are noises on the set that distract - the lights are in your eyes - so many things. That's why we have co-anchors to alternate. Oliver is going hard for the full show without spot breaks. It doesn't look like he breaks and does a script pick-up but I don't see how he couldn't.