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Tooning Out the News
Also known asStephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News
Genre
Created by
Voices of
Narrated byMitch Lewis
Theme music composerTom Polce
Country of originUnited States
Original language
  • English
No. of seasons3
No. of episodes263 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
  • Stephen Colbert
  • R. J. Fried
  • Chris Licht
  • Tim Luecke
Producers
  • Zach Smilovitz
  • Mike Leech
  • Nicole Savini
  • Melanie Loebig
  • Tiffany Pollard
Editors
  • Thomas Berkley
  • Jesse Millward
  • Katey Spinner
  • Melissa Weiss
Running time
  • 7–44 min. (seasons 1–2)
  • 21 min. (seasons 3)
Production companies
Original release
NetworkParamount+
ReleaseApril 7, 2020 (2020-04-07) –
November 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)
NetworkComedy Central
ReleaseOctober 5, 2022 (2022-10-05) –
May 3, 2023 (2023-05-03)
Related

Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News (TOTN) is an American live-action/animated satirical news television show created and executive produced by comedian and The Late Show host Stephen Colbert, R. J. Fried, Chris Licht and Tim Luecke. The series premiered on CBS All Access (now Paramount+) on April 7, 2020. The series has received mixed to positive reviews reviews and received several award nominations, including two Primetime Emmy nominations and a Writers Guild of America Award nomination.

In March 2021, the show was renewed for a second season starting with an exclusive half-hour special to promote the launch of Paramount+ on March 4, 2021, which was followed by a full premiere on March 9, 2021.[1] On October 4, 2021, both short-form episodes would expand to a half-hour starting on October 8, 2021, and the show would switch to a weekly format.[2]

On May 18, 2022, Comedy Central picked up the show for a third season renewal consisting of thirteen episodes, which premiered on October 5, 2022.[3] On February 7, 2023, the third season was expanded with twelve additional episodes, including a special coverage based on the 2023 State of the Union Address.[4] However, On May 18, 2023, Comedy Central cancelled the show after airing 23 of 25 episodes of the third season, due to production delays caused by the 2023 Writers Guild of America strike amid the 2023 Hollywood labor disputes.[5][6]

Format

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Describing itself as an animated news program, Tooning Out the News combines live-action and animation and focuses on topical news satire from real-life news stories as well as lampooning current events, political issues, media coverages, social commentaries, pop culture topics, and often aspects of the show itself.

The first season consisted of four main segments, "Big News with James Smartwood," "Inside The Hill," "Hot Take," and "Virtue Signal," which resemble shows seen on cable news channels, plus added interstitial vignettes covering other stories not mentioned in the main segments. Some interstitial vignettes are previewed on The Late Show. The second season was added with two new segments, "The Establishment with Tory Hughes" and "Smart Talk Tonight." "The Establishment with Tory Hughes" and the vignettes were dropped in the third season with a new segment, "Sparks!".

Three of the main segments originally debut on Paramount+ Tuesday through Thursday (the morning after a new The Late Show with Stephen Colbert episode), with the fourth, plus a compilation "Week in Review" show containing all four plus vignettes are released every Friday. In the second season, both short-form episodes expanded to a half-hour, which was released every Friday starting on October 8, 2021, and the series would switch to a weekly format.[7] The third season airs on Comedy Central every Wednesday, following after The Daily Show.[3]

Cast and characters

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Main

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  • R. J. Fried as James Smartwood
  • Maureen Monahan as Kylie Weaver, Sarah Sabo, Nicole Vance
  • Jack Bensinger as Tyler Templeton
  • Naima Pearce as Tory Hughes
  • Ike Ufomadu as Dr. Ike Bloom
  • Zach Smilovitz as James Smartwood Jr.
  • Addison Anderson as Rich Ballard, Austin Sparks

Recurring

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  • Laurel Zoff Pelon as Bonnie Davis
  • Jeremy Bent as Teddy Hopper, Jonathan Keene
  • Sarah Caldwell as Eleanor Palmer
  • Keisha Zollar as Susan Shephard
  • Neil D'Astolfo as Peter Womack, Troy Lawson
  • Alise Morales as Lila Moreno
  • Nathan Min as Brian Min
  • Otter Lee as Otter Lin
  • Kennedy Baldwin as Morgan Herbert Walker
  • Graham Techler as Kenneth Parsons
  • Moujan Zolfaghari as Catherine Nadaan
  • Niccole Thurman as Jordan Thurman
  • Clark Jones as Blake Holliday
  • Steph Cook as Charlotte Fitzgerald
  • Allison Reese as Lydia Parker
  • Ritchie Moriarty as Ted Jaworski
  • Jeremy Levick as Jeremy Levy-Levin
  • Rajat Suresh as Rajat Mehta
  • Mitch Lewis as Announcer

Notable guests

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The show features interviews with newsmakers, journalists, analysts, politicians, activists, and celebrities, including:

Episodes

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Series overview

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Main article: List of Tooning Out the News episodes
SeasonEpisodesOriginally released
First releasedLast releasedNetwork
1112April 7, 2020 (2020-04-07)December 11, 2020 (2020-12-11)CBS All Access
2121March 9, 2021 (2021-03-09)November 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)Paramount+
323October 5, 2022 (2022-10-05)May 3, 2023 (2023-05-03)Comedy Central

Notable episodes

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Production

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Development

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The show was originally set to premiere on March 16, 2020, but production was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[8][9] The show was debuted on April 7, 2020, instead, after production continued via remote work, with animators and showrunner RJ Fried, who has also produced The Late Show and Showtime animated series Our Cartoon President, working via Zoom and Slack.[16][17]

On October 4, 2021, both short-form episodes would expand to a half-hour starting on October 8, 2021, and the show would switch to a weekly format.[2]

On March 29, 2022, co-creators and co-executive producers Mike Leech and Zach Smilovitz renewed their overall deal at CBS Studios, initially signed in 2020, where they will continue to write and produce across all platforms.[citation needed] On May 18, 2022, the show would move to Comedy Central as part of its adult animation push, with Paramount+ will simultaneously serve as its streaming home.[18]

On July 23, 2022, senior researcher Jonathan van Halem was offered the role of News Producer, making him the first person of Dutch descent to hold the position in the show's three-season history.[19]

On September 29, 2022, the animation staff at Tooning Out the News publicly voted to join a union with The Animation Guild, IATSE Local 839, making them the second group of animation workers and production staff in New York to vote in favor of unionizing.[20] At the same time, the guild is generally submitting a letter for voluntary recognition to CBS Eye Animation Productions, an animation studio division of CBS Studios.[citation needed]

Animation

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The show is produced by "The Late Show"'s animation studio, Late Night Cartoons, Inc., which was inspired by the idea of parodying an animated version of the popular cable news program. The concept of the show gradually took shape with the help of short clips that featured animated cartoon pundits on "The Late Show". On a parallel track, the animated anchors and correspondents, designed by "The Late Show"'s character animator Tim Luecke, were interviewed by a range of guests while working to produce the segments for the week.[citation needed] Originally, the show's production used motion capture to "record" the actors' performances on the show, after converting David Letterman's old personal screening room at the Ed Sullivan Theater as a control room.[21]

After the pandemic forced animators to work from home, they switched to remote production, shipping equipment to animators' houses and using Adobe Character Animator to animate the show's virtual hosts, which allowed guests to interact with the show’s animated hosts and panelists in real-time. While the show usually takes months to produce, an episode of Tooning Out the News is turned around a few days before airtime for the concept to stay current, with the topical productions and real-time animation works done remotely.[citation needed]

The pandemic also forced producers to find a remote solution for guests, who were set to be filmed in the studio. Because the show's back-and-forth banter required low latency, producers partnered with The Video Call Center to handle the acquisition and quality control of guest connections.[22] The VCC developed a custom process that enables the show’s animated hosts and correspondents to have topical, live, natural conversations with newsmakers and journalists.[23]

Reception

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Critical response

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Tooning Out The News has received critical acclaim and garnered mixed to positive reviews reviews from news and television critics for its take on current affairs, hyper-topical coverage, and real-life interviews. It currently holds a 5.6/10 rating on IMDb with 55% of users giving it a positive review, while Rotten Tomatoes score remains hidden, despite several reviews being posted by users.[citation needed] The show has also been featured in numerous publications, including Los Angeles Times, NPR, Comic Book Resources, Mediaite, and The Daily Beast.[citation needed]

Accolades

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The show also garnered nominations for numerous awards, including two Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series, but eventually lost to Carpool Karaoke: The Series.[citation needed] However, despite being considered for nominations at the 72nd and 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, "Tooning Out The News" was not nominated for Outstanding Short Form Variety Series and Outstanding Scripted Variety Series.[citation needed]

Awards and nominations for Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News
Year Award Category Recipients and nominees Result Ref.
2020 Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Short Form Variety Series Tooning Out the News Withdrawn [citation needed]
2021 Critics' Choice Award Best Short Form Series Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News Nominated [24]
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series Nominated [25]
2022 Producers Guild of America Awards Outstanding Short-Form Program Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News Nominated [citation needed]
2022 Webby People's Voice Award Technical Achievement Video Won [citation needed]
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Short Form Comedy, Drama or Variety Series Nominated [citation needed]
2023 Writers Guild of America Awards Comedy-Variety Talk Series Addison Anderson, Sarah Caldwell, Stephen Colbert, RJ Fried, Julie Greiner, Mike Leech, Ron Metellus, Bob Powers, Libby Schreiner, Zach Smilovitz, Hannah Wright Nominated [citation needed]
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Scripted Variety Series Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News Withdrawn [citation needed]

Media appearances

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The characters from 'Tooning Out the News' have made appearances on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and in various marketing campaigns to promote the show.[citation needed] From October 9–10, 2020, the hosts from Tooning Out The News made their appearance at 2020 Just for Laughs Comedy Festival.[citation needed] On February 4, 2021, James Smartwood made his cameo appearance in a marketing campaign for Super Bowl LV commercial to promote ViacomCBS' launch of the rebranded streaming service Paramount+.[citation needed] On July 23, 2021, the hosts from Tooning Out The News also made their appearance along with a special coverage to promote the show during Paramount+'s "Peak Animation" panel at 2021 Comic-Con@Home.[citation needed]

References

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  1. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (February 11, 2021). "Paramount+ Renews' Tooning Out the News' S2 with New Segments". Animation Magazine. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  2. ^ a b Tooning Out the News (October 4, 2021). "BREAKING NEWS: Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News is expanding to new half-hour episodes every Friday starting October 8th". Twitter. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  3. ^ a b Milligan, Mercedes (September 16, 2022). "This Just In! 'Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out the News' Returns Oct. 5". Animation Magazine. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
  4. ^ a b White, Peter (February 7, 2023). "Stephen Colbert's 'Tooning Out The News' Handed Season 3 Extension, Sets Up State Of The Union Special". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 7, 2023.
  5. ^ White, Peter (May 18, 2023). "Stephen Colbert-Exec Produced Pair 'Tooning Out The News' & 'Hell Of A Week With Charlamagne Tha God' Canceled At Comedy Central". Deadline. Retrieved May 18, 2023.
  6. ^ "Comedy Central Cancels 'Tooning Out The News' - IsMyShowCancelled.com". www.ismyshowcancelled.com. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  7. ^ Tooning Out The News [@tooningout] (October 4, 2021). "🚨BREAKING NEWS🚨 Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News is expanding to new half-hour episodes every Friday starting October 8th" (Tweet). Retrieved October 4, 2021 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ a b c White, Peter (March 31, 2020). "'Tooning Out The News': Stephen Colbert Animated News Show Resumes Production & CBS All Access Sets New Premiere". Deadline. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  9. ^ a b c Porter, Rick (March 31, 2020). "Stephen Colbert's 'Tooning Out the News' Restarts With Remote Production". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  10. ^ Goodykoontz, Bill. "Joe Arpaio was interviewed for Stephen Colbert's 'Tooning Out the News.' It was brutal". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  11. ^ "Lincoln Project cofounder Rick Wilson gets sabotaged by Colbert's cartoon news anchors". The Week. July 14, 2020. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  12. ^ Darwish, Meaghan (June 10, 2021). "Salman Rushdie Channels Chip Gaines on 'Tooning Out the News' (VIDEO)". TV Insider. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  13. ^ Goodykoontz, Bill. "Why Stephen Colbert's new TV news parody 'Tooning Out the News' needs to be great". azcentral. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  14. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (August 17, 2020). "'Tooning Out the News' Launches Special 2020 Election Coverage with DNC". Animation Magazine. Retrieved August 21, 2020.
  15. ^ Milligan, Mercedes (August 26, 2020). "Anthony Scaramucci to Appear on 'Tooning Out the News' RNC Special". Animation Magazine. Retrieved February 9, 2023.
  16. ^ Desowitz, Bill (April 16, 2020). "'Tooning Out the News' Reinvented Its Animated Workflow to Fight Coronavirus". IndieWire. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  17. ^ Swain, Rhea. "Having the last laugh: How late-night comedy is moving online during coronavirus". The Daily Targum. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  18. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (May 18, 2022). "'Tooning Out The News' Moves From Paramount+ To Comedy Central, New 'Inside Amy Schumer' To Also Be Available On Old Net". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  19. ^ "Jonathan van Halem". IMDb.
  20. ^ Lang, Jamie (September 30, 2022). "New York Crew Of 'Tooning Out The News' Vote To Unionize With Animation Guild". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved June 7, 2024.
  21. ^ Dowling, Amber (April 14, 2020). "How 'Tooning Out The News' Pivoted Its Animation Process Amid Coronavirus Pandemic". Variety. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
  22. ^ "Innovative New Animated Series to Enable Live Video Chats Between Newsmakers and Animated Hosts". The Video Call Center. June 24, 2020. Archived from the original on August 6, 2021. Retrieved August 6, 2021.
  23. ^ "VCC Assists with Live Interviews for CBS Animated Series". June 25, 2020.
  24. ^ "Critics Choice Awards 2021: The Complete List of TV Nominees". Entertainment Tonight. January 18, 2021. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
  25. ^ Shanfeld, Ethan; Bosselman, Haley; Moreau, Jordan (July 13, 2021). "Emmys 2021: Complete Nominations List". Variety. Retrieved October 4, 2021.
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