Not even Late Night with Deborah Vance is interested in starting a late-night war. Hacks recently sent a full lunch spread to multiple late-night shows alongside an earnest note “from one writers’ room to another.”
The HBO Max series, whose recent fourth season revolved around comedian Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) hostng a late-night talk show of her own, sent a message of “gratitude and appreciation” to several real-life late-night shows as part of an Emmy FYC campaign for the show, which is nominated in 14 categories this year, including a Lead Actress nod for Smart, a Supporting Actress nod for Hannah Einbinder, and Outstanding Comedy Series.
“We may play a late-night show on Hacks, but we know how hard you work to keep us all laughing week after week,” the note said.
Perhaps referencing the heightened tension of the current late-night climate, the note added, “Thanks for fighting the good fight.”
The centerpiece of the spread was a branzino—a nod to a highlight moment that went down in the Late Night with Deborah Vance writers’ room during Hacks’ latest season. When head writer Ava Daniels (Einbinder) offers to foot the lunch bill for the show’s writers, the group takes to indulging on extra food for the table, ordering the extras under the name “Mrs. Table.” It’s a $72 branzino for the table that ultimately sets off Ava, who throws the order across the room.
Daniels may have told her writers, “Branzino doesn’t travel well! You should never order it to go!” during her meltdown, but it appears the fictional character had a change of heart, as each of the real-life late-night shows’ spreads included one.
“Enjoy lunch on us today—including a branzino for ‘Mrs. Table!’,” said the note, signed by the fictional Vance and Daniels. The team at The Tonight Show made sure to thank the characters by name when it posted photos of the lunch spread to Instagram.
Just last week, Smart guested on the actual Late Night, visiting Seth Meyers’ show for the fourth time.
