Why do entertainers ALWAYS thank the band?

In every comedy series (e.g. the tonight show, the late show, standup revolution, etc.) I’ve seen, the host always says some variation of “Let’s give it up for the band” in every episode. It usually comes right after “I’m so-and-so and this is the xyz show”. Often, They’ll even incorporate the band members into their opening banter.

Why is this so common (i.e. every show seems to do it), and frequent (in every episode)? What makes the walk-on music more worthy of acclaim than the other creative work (e.g. script writers, set designers, producers, etc.)?

Note: This isn’t a rant or complaint. I’m trying to understand why/how this came to be such a standard part of the show formula (it’s as common as the introduction, opening banter, closing credits, etc.).

It might actually be part of a contractual agreement that the host acknowledge the band. They are members of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA). I think this acknowledgement is probably a requirement.

Beyond that, it’s just good form.

The band are performers, which is not true of the writers, producers, etc. And performers like to have their performance acknowledged.

Well, accusing the bandleader of being a homosexual doesn’t usually go over so well, and you have to acknowledge their presence somehow…

It’s only a “requirement” if it’s written into a contract and I doubt that it is.

Musicians that are members of AGMA can join SAG-AFTRA but they don’t necessarily have to. Even if they do, the SAG-AFTRA rules for billing only require that cast members get screen credit at the end of the show and band members (even those in SAG-AFTRA) aren’t necessarily hired as “cast.”

The reason that talk show hosts mention the band is that it’s part of the traditional formula for that sort of show; like having an opening monologue and sitting on couches. Thank Johnny Carson for making the band and the band leader a “recognized” part of the show.

Tangential: anyone else really hoping that Stephen Colbert breaks from this tradition?

Is it a ‘requirement’ in these kind of shows, to have a *live *band?

Lead performers in live gigs pretty much always do this - it isn’t the preserve of comedy shows on TV. They also do this in musical theatre, with the actors at the end pointing towards the orchestra in the pit.

I have always thought that it’s just common good manners. The audience focusses their love and attention on the singer (/presenter). The lead is merely drawing the audience’s attention to the fact that s/he isn’t performing alone, and the band deserve recognition as well.

Essentially, yes. A live band can add music as appropriate to emphasize or enhance was his going on. Without music, things would be less interesting, and the logistics of using recorded music for an ad libbed moment just don’t work.

Nope. The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson lacks one.

Or…
they show their faces on the screen… so the host can’t treat them like objects…
(or like a nobody… cameraman).

It’s more “home” and “family” like that.

All part of the act, and the illusion…

The live band is there mostly for the live audience. They play before the show and during commercial breaks. This keeps the energy of the audience up. A good energetic audience will laugh louder at the jokes which makes a better show for the viewers at home. Comedy shows don’t want a sleepy or bored audience because they will detract from the show.

Craig Ferguson never had a live house band. Neither did Dennis Miller, although his show broke from tradition in a lot of ways.

I remember watching Conan O’Brien’s old Late Night show on NBC, and for years, when Conan finished the monologue and threw to the band, they would execute the exact same camera maneuver each time. Starting with a wide shot of the band, then slowly zooming in to Max Weinberg’s close-up. Then a slightly different angle of the band, zooming into Max again.

I always wondered if Max had it in his contract that he had to get two closeups after the monologue, because they did it exactly the same way every single time for years and years.

My guess is that this is more about creating the same product day after day.

It goes back even further than that. Steve Allen not only had a house band, led by Sktich Henderson (who already had a recognized name from radio) but house singers (including Andy Williams and Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gormet among others.) Jack Paar got rid of the singers but turned his bandleaders (Skitch Henderson and Jose Mellis) into part of the performing ensemble. Carson went beyond that by featuring some of the individual band members, like Doc Severinson (who later took over the band) Tommy Newsome, Ed Shaugnessy and Clark Terry.

Cafe Society thread title from the future:
Stephen Colbert never thanks the band. Why is he such a dick?

I read that in Colbert’s voice.

  1. Host finishes the monologue and says “Give it up for the band”.
  2. Camera cuts to band.
  3. Host walks to the desk and sit down.
  4. Camera cuts to host at desk.

Step 3 is why the host calls attention to the band. Watching him walk to the desk would be bad TV.

Rhythmdvl makes another Colbert reference.