Wanted: Late-night hosts. Must work evenings, play well with others and have an incredibly thick skin.
With Trevor Noah leaving "The Daily Show" on Dec. 8 and James Corden departing "The Late, Late Show" sometime next year, two high-profile — and high-pressure — jobs will soon be open.
First, let's eliminate some strong candidates. Amber Ruffin, the breakout star of NBC's "Late Night," has been bandied about as a contender, and with good reason. She's one of the brightest, most original voices in all of comedy. But Ruffin told me this past summer that she's got a rock-solid contract with NBCUniversal and can't imagine competing against her mentor Seth Meyers.
It's also fair to assume that no superstars are going be interested in either gig. I'd love to see Amy Poehler, Chris Rock or Tina Fey step in, but that would be like getting Tom Cruise to join the cast of "General Hospital."
Here are seven names that are real possibilities:
For 'The Daily Show'
Roy Wood Jr.
Hollywood insiders think current correspondents have the inside track. Comedy Central executives are even considering a host rotation. That would be a mistake; viewers like to know who's manning the ship. Wood, a talented stand-up, would be the most obvious choice but if the show wanted a more cynical captain, it would anoint Ronny Chieng.
![Seen from the 40th Street pedestrian bridge, a motorcylcist is sihlouetted beneath the 42nd Street Bridge while traveling north along I-35W, Friday, June 6, 2014, just south of downtown Minneapolis, MN.] (DAVIDJOLES/STARTRIBUNE) djoles@startribune.com A surge in deaths and injuries among motorcycle riders in Minnesota, coming just as summer-like weather takes hold, is prompting traffic officials to remind drivers across the vehicle spectrum of what they need to do to safely share the roads and h](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/TWBPBY5GLJVBID2FJZC75KKF4U.jpg?&w=80&ar=1:1&fit=crop)
