The late-night talk shows are now led by a new guard. It is no longer the era of the stand-up.

Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers hail from the improv world, both being “Saturday Night Live” alumni. Jimmy Kimmel arose as a radio and television personality. James Corden was and is an actor and writer, mostly in his native Great Britain. Conan O’Brien was a writer for “The Simpsons” and “Saturday Night Live.”

Now, Stephen Colbert is replacing David Letterman at “The Late Show.” Colbert also comes from an improv background, dating back to his time with the famous Second City comedy troupe.

“Letterman and [Jay] Leno, they were the focus of their shows,” said Peter Orazem, comedian and professor of economics. “With improv theatre, the focus bounces from the audience to the actor. Obviously, Colbert is a smart comedian.”

Letterman and Leno were strong comedians. They had to be, coming from the stand-up world. Stand-up comics have to take hold of their audience, whereas the new entertainers play off of their audience more.

“To be trained in improvisation is one of the best comedic tools to have,” said Gavin Jerome, veteran comedian and Comedy College instructor. “But now can [Colbert] be himself? Can he do some straight stand-up?”

Colbert has become famous for his conservative caricature and personality from “The Colbert Report,” a political satire talk show.

“He did it honestly, which is why it was popular,” Orazem said.

Now, we have to wait and see whether Colbert will continue that personality or if he will be himself.

“I think he’s the best in the business with satiric comedy,” Jerome said. “The question is can you watch that satire for a whole 60 minutes, five days a week?”

Colbert will have to make himself stand out, since he will be competing for the same audience with the popular Fallon and Kimmel.

“Colbert is a really intelligent comedian, coming from Northwestern [University]. He is going to attract the college-educated audience,” Orazem said. “CBS is going to have the smarter, cutting-edge comedy, opposed to NBC having more of an entertainment orientation.”

With Colbert moving on to prime-time television, his old network might struggle to replace him.

“Comedy Central is going to take a hit,” Orazem said. “They already lost Jon Stewart and replaced him with a non-American comedian. We’ll see what their new business plan is to replace Colbert.”

CBS is taking a new step by hiring Colbert, moving away from the stand-up. Yet they are following in the footsteps of NBC, putting an improv man in the limelight.

CBS had the opportunity to make a bigger splash in the late-night community. For instance, CBS could have brought in a host that is part of an underrepresented demographic.

“There are no women on late night. Why not?” Orazem asked. “I’m surprised they didn’t have Ellen [DeGeneres] step in.”

Hiring DeGeneres would have been unprecedented and perhaps overdue in today’s world. DeGeneres is both a woman and openly gay, two demographics which aren’t represented on late-night television, despite there being plenty of said talent in stand-up and in television and film.

Regardless, it is Colbert’s time to prove he is worthy of the prime-time spotlight.

“I know a lot of comedians who couldn’t do the talk-show thing. It’s a whole different medium,” Jerome said.

Colbert’s first show premiered at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday on CBS. 

Neither Colbert nor “The Late Show” could be reached for comment.