LA late night hosts Jimmy Kimmel and James Corden to film WITHOUT studio audiences amid coronavirus - Culture

Los Angeles’ top late-night hosts will stop incorporating live audiences into their broadcasts over the next few days, amid rising fears about the spread of coronavirus in the region.

On Thursday, the networks announced that ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live, CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Talk will tape without an audience beginning Monday, March 16.

This comes just hours after their New York counterparts including Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon made the same announcement.

ABC said in a statement:’As a precautionary measure, we have decided to temporarily suspend the live audience for Jimmy Kimmel Live beginning Monday, March 16th.

Precautions: On Thursday the networks announced that ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel Live (Left), CBS’ The Late Late Show with James Corden (right) will tape without an audience beginning Monday, March 16

Interesting: CBS chat show The Talk will also film without a studio audience (pictured from left to right: Sheryl Underwood, Carrie Ann Inaba, Sharon Osbourne, Eve Cooper, and Marie Osmond)

‘The show will continue to film as scheduled and air dates will not be affected. We will continue to monitor the situation as the safety of our employees and guests are of the utmost importance.’

CBS addressed both Corden and The Talk as they announced: ‘Out of an abundance of caution, The Late Late Show with James Corden and The Talk will forego their live studio audiences beginning Monday, March 16.

‘At this time, no disruptions to the on-air schedules are expected. We will continue to monitor the situation, as the health and safety of our audience and production staffs is our top priority.’

‘As a precautionary measure’: Kimmel seen with his audience in February 2013

‘At this time, no disruptions to the on-air schedules are expected’: Corden pictured with his audience on Monday

California Gavin Newsom said on Wednesday night that gatherings of more than 250 or more people should be postponed or canceled across the stage at least until the end of March which obviously put pressure on the networks.

The same night Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Trevor Noah, John Oliver, Samantha Bee and Greg Gutfeld all said that they would tape their broadcasts in theaters and studios without audience members.

In the US Wednesday night more than 1,300 people were confirmed to have coronavirus and 38 people had died. There were 220 cases in New York state.

Globally there were 125,743 confirmed cases and 4,610 deaths.

Interesting: This comes just hours after their New York counterparts including Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Fallon made the same announcement. Pictured, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert during Tuesday’s February 4, 2020 live show

‘Per guidance from New York City officials, the company is hoping to do its part to help to decrease the rate of transmission in our communities,’ the NBC statement read. Jimmy Fallon is pictured with an audience of servicemen and servicewomen on May 23, 2019

In the US Wednesday night 1,135 people were confirmed to have coronavirus and 38 people had died. There were 220 cases in New York

The announcement from New York networks came as Donald Trump enforced a European travel ban due to prevent the spread of COVID-19 from abroad. Shortly afterward House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer blasted the president for failing to do enough to prevent community spread.

NBC, which broadcasts the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Meyers, cited the safety of guests and employees as the ‘top priority’.

‘Per guidance from New York City officials, the company is hoping to do its part to help to decrease the rate of transmission in our communities,’ the NBC statement read. ‘Our shows will continue filming on their regular schedule, and currently, there will be no impact on air dates.’

CBS is home to the Late Show With Stephen Colbert.

‘There have not been any specific developments at The Ed Sullivan Theater to cause concern for audiences with plans to attend the show tonight, tomorrow, or who have attended in recent weeks,’ CBS said in a statement.

‘For several weeks, the team at the theater has been taking all necessary precautions to protect everyone who enters and works in the theater with enhanced cleaning and sanitizing procedures.

‘For the past several weeks, The Late Show producers have consulted daily to share information with other New York-based late night shows, who will also be moving forward without an audience.’

In statements, the shows indicated their staffers were well, but that producers felt performing with live crowds would not be safe or smart.

Trevor Noah (pictured), John Oliver, Samantha Bee and Greg Gutfeld are all hosts affected

NBC, which broadcasts the Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (pictured right) and Late Night With Seth Meyers (left), cited the safety of guests and employees as the ‘top priority’

TBS’ Full Frontal with Samantha Bee started the policy Wednesday evening.

‘Bee says she will instead “do the show in front of a mirror, which I actually prefer”,’ the statement joked. ‘Despite the efforts being taken, we still have heard from Sean Spicer that tonight’s taping “was the largest audience ever to witness an [taping of Full Frontal], period, both in person and around the globe.” Wow!’

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF CORONAVIRUS?

Like other coronaviruses, including those that cause the common cold and that triggered SARS, COVID-19 is a respiratory illness.

The most common symptoms are:
Fever
Dry cough
Shortness of breath
Difficulty breathing
Fatigue

Although having a runny nose doesn’t rule out coronavirus, it doesn’t thus far appear to be a primary symptom.

Most people only become mildly ill, but the infection can turn serious and even deadly, especially for those who are older or have underlying health conditions.

In these cases, patients develop pneumonia, which can cause:

Potentially with yellow, green or bloody mucus
Fever, sweating and shaking chills
Shortness of breath
Rapid or shallow breathing
Pain when breathing, especially when breathing deeply or coughing
Low appetite, energy and fatigue
Nausea and vomiting (more common in children)
Confusion (more common in elderly people)
Some patients have also reported diarrhea and kidney failure has occassionally been a complication.

Avoid people with these symtpoms. If you develop them, call your health care provider before going to the hospital or doctor, so they and you can prepare to minimize possivle exposure if they suspect you have coronavirus.

Fox News Channel’s The Greg Gutfeld Show will implement the change Saturday and HBO’s Last Week Tonight with John Oliver show will commence with a new plan on Monday.

‘We are taking this precaution in accordance with best practices as outlined by New York City officials,’ HBO said in a statement to the Daily Beast. ‘We will continue to monitor the situation.’

The weeknight programs will all stop using audiences as of Monday, March 16. Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Trevor Noah is included.

There was no immediate information provided on whether NBC’s Saturday Night Live would use a live audience for its coming rehearsals or broadcasts. The show’s next original episode is not scheduled until March 28.

Live audiences are a key element of the late-night format.

Their reactions often spur the hosts to make unscripted remarks and the shows usually feed off of a live crowd’s energy.

All the shows have staffers in place whose job it is to raise the audience’s energy in advance of a taping.

At NBC, Late Night and Tonight often test Fallon’s and Meyer’s opening monologues in front of a smaller audience group in advance of a taping and producers at Saturday Night Live use audience reaction during rehearsals to help them determine which sketches will work for the show’s official broadcast.

At CBS the pandemic spread beyond live audience shows. Also Wednesday, the network said production on the 41st edition of Survivor has been postponed in response to the spread of the coronavirus.

Filming was scheduled to begin later this month in Fiji, but CBS now says production will start on May 19.

For most people, the new coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

The vast majority of people recover from the new virus. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to recover.

Shows like that of John Oliver (pictured) see live audiences as a key element of the late-night format. Their reactions often spur the hosts to make unscripted remarks and the shows usually feed off of a live crowd’s energy

CDC: HOW TO SLOW THE CORONAVIRUS SPREAD

Everything you need to know about coronavirus

By Natalie Rahhal, Acting US Health Editor for DailyMail.com

HOW DANGEROUS IS CORONAVIRUS?

About 14 percent of people who contract the Covid-19 coronavirus are taken to hospital – with severe symptoms including breathing problems and pneumonia. About 5 per cent need intensive care.

But the majority who get the virus suffer nothing more than a cough and may never know they are infected.

So far, some 51,000 people around the world have already recovered from coronavirus – and that just includes the numbers who received a diagnosis.

HOW MANY PEOPLE DIE?

Officially, the death rate so far has been just over three percent. But experts believe the true mortality rate is probably between one and two percent. This is because most mild cases have not been picked up by doctors or reflected in the official numbers – so the death rate is inflated.

HOW DOES THIS COMPARE WITH OTHER DISEASES?

Seasonal flu kills roughly 0.1 percent of people. So Covid-19 is between 10 and 20 times more fatal.

But it is far less dangerous than SARS – the virus that ripped across China in 2003 – which killed 10 percent of patients.

BUT DOESN’T CORONAVIRUS SPREAD MORE EASILY?

Yes, but not dramatically. The best estimates suggest every person with Covid-19 passes it on to 2.6 people, on average. For flu that number is 1.5.

CAN IT BE SPREAD WITHOUT SYMPTOMS?

Initially scientists feared carriers who had no symptoms could pass it on. That is now in doubt.

What is likely, however, is those who have mild symptoms are putting it down to a cold and going about their normal lives – which puts others at risk.

HOW LONG IS IT BEFORE SYMPTOMS APPEAR?

Again, unclear. Initially scientists said this could take up to two weeks.

But recent evidence suggests the incubation period could be as long as a month – particularly among children.

The average, however, is much shorter. A Chinese study said the average period of symptom onset was 5.4 days for adults and 6.5 for children.

WHO IS AT RISK?

The virus can affect anyone – with a study of the first 41 infected people revealing two thirds did not suffer from any pre-existing condition. But the middle-aged are most likely to get it – 78 percent of those infected in China have been aged 30 to 69.

WHAT ABOUT THE OLD?

Only 3 percent of people infected so far have been over 80 – but if they get it they are more vulnerable. Analysis of 72,000 cases in China suggests for over-80s the death rate is 15 percent. For those in their 70s the death rate is 8 percent and for those in their 60s, 4 percent.

WHO ELSE IS VULNERABLE?

Those with other conditions – such as diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and kidney problems – are likely to suffer severe complications if they become infected.

WHAT ABOUT CHILDREN?

Children seem to be low-risk. Less than 1 percent of the Chinese cases have been under the age of ten – and if children do get the virus it’s often a mild form.

They do, however, retain the virus for longer than adults.

A study last week found the virus was still present in the stools of some children for a month after they contracted it.

DOES GENDER MATTER?

Men are marginally more likely to get the virus than women. It is not clear why this is.

HOW DO DOCTORS TEST FOR COVID-19?

Anyone who has symptoms –particularly if they have travelled to an at-risk area – are told to call ahead to their health care provider, local emergency department or clinics.

This way, health care providers can be prepared, wearing masks, gloves and other personal protective equipment when they meet the possible patient and escort them to isolated areas of the facility.

They are tested using a cheek swab which is sent off for analysis at one of 12 Public Health England labs, a process that takes between 24 and 48 hours. Any positive test is double-checked at the main PHE lab in Colindale.

WHAT TREATMENT DO PATIENTS GET?

There is little doctors can do to tackle the virus, but they can treat the symptoms – such as fever and respiratory problems. Antivirals and antibiotics are also used, mainly to keep secondary problems at bay.

In the most serious cases patients are put on life-support equipment.

There are several clinical trials for potential coronavirus treatments ongoing worldwide, including one in Nebraska, where at least 13 patients are in quarantine, including two in biocontainment units.

WHAT ABOUT A VACCINE?

Even though the Wuhan virus appeared only a few weeks ago, 20 teams around the world are already manufacturing vaccines.

Chinese authorities provided the DNA code for the virus early on in the outbreak, enabling scientists to get to work straight away.

At least 30 companies and research institutions in the US are racing to make a vaccine.

Last week, one of these companies, Moderna, shipped its candidate vaccine to the US, signalling the shot was ready to begin clinical trials.

Even so, US health authorities say it will likely be upwards of a year before a vaccine is actually ready.