From Vanity Fair · Savannah Walsh · · 2m
Ariel Dumas on Late-Night TV and Comedy
Ariel Dumas, former Late Show head writer, transitions to The Tonight Show after Emmy win.
In brief
Ariel Dumas, former Late Show head writer, transitions to The Tonight Show after Emmy win. Ariel Dumas, former Late Show With Stephen Colbert head writer, now works on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon following her Emmy win. Originally reported by Vanity Fair.
Ariel Dumas
Ariel Dumas, former Late Show With Stephen Colbert head writer, has found a new gig on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.
Emmy Win
Dumas won the Outstanding Variety Series Award for The Late Show With Stephen Colbert at the 78th Primetime Emmy Awards on September 14, 2026.
Colbert's Praise
Stephen Colbert praised Dumas as the head writer of The Late Show and encouraged hiring his staff of 'tech avail' writers.
Colbert's Acceptance
Colbert did not mention CBS as The Late Show's former network home in his Emmy acceptance speech.
Late-Night Changes
The Late Show ended after its 2025-2026 season due to a financial decision amid CBS's parent company merger.
Kimmel Incident
Jimmy Kimmel Live was briefly yanked from the air over comments about Charlie Kirk's killing.
Dumas' Reaction
Dumas called the late-night changes 'nuts' and said it wasn't about viewership but free speech concerns.
Taylor Swift
Dumas met Taylor Swift at NBC, where she received cookies and played SVU characters.
Writing for Self
Dumas wants to spend more time writing for herself after years of writing for others.
AI Resistance
Dumas is firmly against AI taking creative jobs and making art, praising human-driven shows like Widow’s Bay.
Romantasy Goal
Dumas aims to adapt Sarah MacLean's historical romance series with comedy.
Fallon Transition
Dumas is only on day three of The Tonight Show and is still adjusting to the new environment.
Late-Night Future
Dumas believes late-night comedy will continue but in different forms as the industry evolves.
Comedy in AI Era
Dumas emphasizes the need for human creativity in comedy amid AI advancements.
Next Steps
Dumas plans to write a romantasy comedy series inspired by Sarah MacLean's historical romances.
What to remember
Ariel Dumas, former Late Show With Stephen Colbert head writer, now works on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon following her Emmy win.
