John Oliver and Stephen Colbert are leading the way in asking celebrities uncomfortable questions about sexual misconduct

The Washington Post

The Last Week Tonight host’s “squirm-inducing” questioning of Dustin Hoffman last night isn’t the only case of a late-night host asking awkward questions about sexual harassment. Colbert also didn’t hold back when recently questioning Ben Affleck about his relationship with Harvey Weinstein and his own alleged sexual misconduct. "A film panel isn’t the usual place to have this kind of discussion, so the awkward exchange between the actor and the late-night host raises a question: When is a good time and place to ask about these kinds of allegations? And is a comedian the right person to do it?” asks Stephanie Merry. “Increasingly, late-night hosts who get coveted access to big-name stars are asking tough questions. No longer can A-listers assume that their publicity rounds will include easy conversation and goofy guessing games. Ever since Jimmy Fallon launched a thousand angry tweets by tousling Donald Trump’s hair, late-night hosts have had to pivot away from being simply entertainers. These days, as sexual misconduct dominates the cultural conversation, they have to be gatekeepers of accountability, too.”

ALSO:

• Oliver’s grilling of Hoffman is exactly what he’s supposed to do
• Oliver exposed how empty the immediate apologies offered by the men accused of sexual misconduct are
• Oliver proved he’s “closer to being a journalist than he is a comedian at this point”