# Why can't late nite hosts use teleprompters **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 28, 2014, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491 "2014-02-28T06:04:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [February 28, 2014, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491/21 "2014-02-28T22:39:40Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Same for SNL cast members, who I always assumed memorized their lines. You must not have watched it in the last few years. I can’t bear to watch because they stare down the cue cards. ---
**Author:** ![slitterst](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@slitterst](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slitterst)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491/22 "2014-03-01T18:02:13Z")
> [@Bob Ducca](#): > > When I saw Conan do a live show from the Chicago Theater (I got to see Mr. T, the Masturbating Bear, and Cheap Trick!), he had a large teleprompter screen set up at the back of the theater that he read his monologue and some other bits off of. This is also common on major awards shows. They do a good job of not showing it on camera, but there’s usually a 100+ inch display at the rear of the seating area that serves as the teleprompter for the presenters. ---
**Author:** ![FoundWaldo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@FoundWaldo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoundWaldo)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2014, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491/23 "2014-03-01T18:37:07Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > As I said, remove jokes, add jokes, easier to do at the last minute. I’ve worked in TV news, and it wasn’t unusual to be editing the script being fed to the prompter just a few minutes or even seconds before it’s read. It’s all computerized, so the updates happen on the prompter immediately. As long as you change it before it scrolls into visibility, it’s not too late. I can’t see how changing out physical cue cards would be faster than this, except perhaps in the case of removing one. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491/24 "2014-03-02T01:01:26Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#): > > You must not have watched it in the last few years. I can’t bear to watch because they stare down the cue cards. I know they use cue cards. That was my point. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491/25 "2014-03-02T01:55:17Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Late nite talk show hosts read their monologue from cue cards. It just occurred to me today: why can’t they use teleprompters? Same for SNL cast members, who I always assumed memorized their lines. > [@etv78](#): > > I know they use cue cards. That was my point. That point escaped the rest of us. Perhaps you can understand why. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491/26 "2014-03-02T01:58:29Z")
Sorry Expo, you’re right that was confusing. :o ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491/27 "2014-03-02T03:59:06Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > Sorry Expo, you’re right that was confusing. :o Sigh. Maybe I’ll change my name to Expo Facto. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2014, 4:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491/28 "2014-03-02T04:26:44Z")
Sorry for misspelling your name. :o [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-cant-late-nite-hosts-use-teleprompters/682491.md?page=1)