The smooth-talking, highly entertaining astrophysicist who brought you Cosmos is now going to join the ranks of late-night TV. Neil deGrasse Tyson will host Star Talk on the National Geographic Channel.
“Cosmos allowed us to share the awesome power of the universe with a global audience in ways that we never thought possible,” said Tyson in The Hollywood Reporter. “To be able to continue to spread wonder and excitement through Star Talk, which is a true passion project for me, is beyond exciting. And National Geographic Channel is the perfect home as we continue to explore the universe.”
Star Talk is Tyson’s current podcast, which he says makes it a natural fit to shift to TV. The show will be similar to the podcast, which talks about science and pop culture, and interviews celebs, scientists and other notable figures. Reportedly, Tyson will also give Bill Nye a “platform for a minute-long rant in each show, much as Andy Rooney had for many years on CBS’ 60 Minutes.”
The show will be taped at the American Museum of Natural History’s Hayden Planetarium in New York, where Tyson is director. He’s already known for breaking down complex mysteries of the universe for a large general audience. By combining his natural skills with Nat Geo’s audience and educational bent, this looks like a match made in the heavens. We’ll be watching.