These Popular Late-Night Hosts Opened Up About Struggling With Their Mental Health

While late-night hosts such as Conan O’Brien and David Letterman are of course used to talking to countless celebrities, the spotlight isn’t always on them. But when these comedians and seasoned TV personalities give interviews, they often open up about tough experiences that allow people to relate to them.

Thankfully, mental health is a subject that people discuss more often these days. Even the richest and most successful late-night hosts have said that they have suffered from mental health conditions. Whether they struggled in the past or find that it’s an everyday battle, these hosts have had some heartbreaking moments in their lives.

6 Conan O’Brien Has Depression And Anxiety

Conan O’Brien Hosted Conan From 2010-2021

According to Variety, Conan O’Brien discussed depression and anxiety with Anderson Cooper at a screening in 2015. When fans asked questions, O’Brien said that he struggled with depression. He wasn’t sure about going on medication because he wanted to ensure that he was still funny. But once he did, he found that it was positive.

When he appeared on The Howard Stern Show, O’Brien shared more about depression and Stern offered him a compassionate space to talk about this subject. O’Brien said:

“I used to think I needed to be incredibly unhappy in order to be funny… you get to a point where you don’t care if it’s true or not. You just think, you know what I’d rather be happy.”

5 David Letterman Also Talked About Anxiety And Depression

David Letterman Hosted The Late Show With David Letterman From 1993-2015

The focus has often been on David Letterman’s personal scandals, the most notable being when Letterman shared that he had affairs with employees. However, there is something else to know about his personal life: he has struggled with anxiety and depression. According to Us Weekly, Letterman talked about his mental health in a 2012 interview with Charlie Rose on This Morning. Like Conan O’Brien, David Letterman wasn’t sure about taking medication because of any side effects. He said that when he stopped taking it, he had “nervous anxiety” and reached out to his doctor.

Letterman said:

“It’s different than feeling sad. It’s different than feeling blue. It’s really, like a friend of mine says, it’s the world with 20/20 vision.”

4 Stephen Colbert Experienced An Anxious Period

Stephen Colbert Has Hosted The Late Show With Stephen Colbert Since 2015

Stephen Colbert has also had anxiety and he was vulnerable in an interview with Rolling Stone. He explained that he had panic attacks and a “nervous breakdown” during the early days of his marriage to his wife Evelyn. He shared a sad story about how he wasn’t able to do much all day and she often came home to find him sitting on the couch. Things changed for the better when Colbert made this fascinating discovery: when he performed, he didn’t experience anxiety.

Colbert said:

“I would go to the show, and I would curl up in a ball on the couch backstage and I would wait to hear my cue lines. Then I would uncurl and go onstage and I’d feel fine. Which occurred to me at the time: Like, ‘Oh, you feel fine when you’re out here.’ And then as soon as I got offstage, I’d just crumble into a ball again.”

This was a turning point for the comedian and late-night host who found a career that he is passionate about, but also a way to handle his anxiety.

3 James Corden Has Experienced Anxiety Over The Last Several Years

James Corden Hosted The Late Late Show With James Corden From 2015 To 2023

James Corden may make people laugh with his Carpool Karaoke videos, but that doesn’t mean that he hasn’t faced hard times. According to The Daily Mail, Corden talked about the end of his late-night show in April 2023 and shared at Paley Fest that he was feeling anxious. Corden said, “I haven’t felt this scared since I decided to take the show, to move here. I haven’t felt on such unstable ground… (But) I have to embrace that fear…”

In 2020, BBC.com reported that James Corden shared that he had anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. He shared a positive message for anyone who is suffering: “It’s OK to feel anxious. The best thing we can all do is kind of breathe through that and put our minds in a positive place.”

2 Jimmy Kimmel Talks To A Therapist To Help With His Anxiety

Jimmy Kimmel Has Hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live! Since 2003

Jimmy Kimmel goes to therapy, which helps with his anxiety, and he has been honest about how talking to someone has benefited him. According to Perez Hilton, he does virtual therapy and he said:

“I’ve learned that anxiety affects almost every decision I make. I’ve learned about boundaries, though I still have trouble enforcing them. I have a hard time saying no to people. I’ve learned that most arguments have little to do with what you’re arguing about – that what people want most is to know they’re being heard.”

This wasn’t the only time that the late-night host talked about his anxious feelings. Almost a decade ago, Jimmy Kimmel interviewed Jeff Bridges about the actor’s anxiety, and Kimmel shared a lot about his struggles as well. Kimmel said that he has a problem with teeth grinding while sleeping because of his anxiety. While the two joked about how Kimmel’s wife doesn’t mind, it was a sweet conversation that reminded viewers that anyone can suffer with their mental health and no one should feel like they shouldn’t talk about it.

1 Trevor Noah Has Shared His Depression Journey

Trevor Noah Was The Host Of The Daily Show From 2015 To 2022

In 2019, Trevor Noah was candid about depression in an episode of the podcast Death, Sex and Money. He told a heartbreaking story about having a conversation with The Daily Show’s head writer at the beginning of his hosting journey. Noah said that he let the writer know “I’m suffering from depression and sometimes I do not see the purpose of getting out of my bed or living life” because he might not come into the studio on time every day.

In a 2021 interview with CBS News, Trevor Noah said that he has ADHD and that it leads to depressive symptoms. He explained, “if I’m not careful in how I sleep, how I eat, how I– how I manage my routine I can become overwhelmed and it can just feel like the whole world is just too heavy to bear.”

Source: NewsFinale