# And the winner of the best late night host/show (in your opinion) is: **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** talk-variety-show\ **Created:** [February 25, 2023, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327 "2023-02-25T00:01:58Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2024, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/81 "2024-02-10T01:55:33Z")
Harvey was great also, though not pompous nor douchy, just cranky. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2024, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/82 "2024-02-10T02:07:41Z")
> [@SuntanLotion](#): > > I take note No One has mentioned Tom Snyder, I really enjoyed his interviews with James Garner. ---
**Author:** ![gnarator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gnarator/32/8266_2.png) [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2024, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/83 "2024-02-10T04:05:50Z")
I loved Craig Ferguson’s show, especially after he had Geoffrey Peterson’s “wise-ass” chip activated. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2024, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/84 "2024-02-10T04:11:41Z")
> [@TRC4941](#): > > Conan and Letterman. > > I haven’t watched any late night talk shows in many years. They’ve become too political. > > I LOVE Conan’s podcast Right here. This is what I came to post, word for word. Conan’s Sirius/XM channel is my current fav. His podcast is great. ---
**Author:** ![Stratocaster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stratocaster/32/16393_2.png) [@Stratocaster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stratocaster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2024, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/85 "2024-02-11T19:53:21Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > Right here. This is what I came to post, word for word. Conan’s Sirius/XM channel is my current fav. His podcast is great. Agree 100%. The only time I shift to another channel is if I’ve already heard the segment 2 or 3 times, and sometimes not even then. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2024, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/86 "2024-02-11T20:04:30Z")
It’s not exactly a late night show, but I enjoyed the episodes I saw of Conan O’Brien’s _[Conan Without Borders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_Without_Borders)_, in which he travels to another country. meets local people and sees the country. The last one was in Ghana accompanied by Sam Richardson (an American actor whose mother was from Ghana). ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2024, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/87 "2024-02-11T20:30:24Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > It’s not exactly a late night show, but I enjoyed the episodes I saw of Conan O’Brien’s _[Conan Without Borders](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conan_Without_Borders)_, in which he travels to another country. meets local people and sees the country. The last one was in Ghana accompanied by Sam Richardson (an American actor whose mother was from Ghana) Whatever happened to him making this show for HBO Max? ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2024, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/88 "2024-02-11T20:46:30Z")
> [@Tibby](#): > > Best Family-Oriented, Self-deprecating Humor Host: Johnny Carson (Carson’s Tonight Show also had the best house-band). > > Best Intellectual Wit and In-depth Interview-style Host: Dick Cavett. I agree with these two. Also, people used to come on Carson just for fun, not just to push their lasted work. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Sam\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Stone)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2024, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/89 "2024-02-11T20:58:30Z")
I’d rate them, in order: Johnny Carson Early David Letterman Conan O’Brien Dick Cavett Craig Fergusen Late David Letterman Greg Gutfeld Jimmy Fallon Jimmy Kimmel Watching my laundry cycle Steven Colbert ---
**Author:** ![dorvann](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df705f/32.png) [@dorvann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dorvann)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/90 "2024-02-12T01:59:43Z")
Somewhat related question…is The Chevy Chase Show that aired in 1993 still considered to be the absolute worst attempt at a late night talk show or have been there worst attempts since then? ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2024, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/91 "2024-02-12T02:10:35Z")
I only watched one or two episodes of it back then. I was 15 and thought it was adequate. I guess it really was just poorly received. Certainly Magic Johnson’s show had to be worse. > **[The Magic Hour (talk show)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Magic_Hour_(talk_show))** > > The Magic Hour is an American talk show hosted by basketball player Earvin "Magic" Johnson. The series aired in syndication from June to September 1998. > Soon after its debut, the series was panned by critics citing Johnson's apparent nervousness as a host, his overly complimentary tone with his celebrity guests, and lack of chemistry with his sidekick, comedian Craig Shoemaker. Before Shoemaker was chosen, the role was offered to Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel. Both rejected the role as the... ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2024, 2:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/92 "2024-02-14T02:23:41Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > Somewhat related question…is The Chevy Chase Show that aired in 1993 still considered to be the absolute worst attempt at a late night talk show or have been there worst attempts since then? I don’t think even Chevy stole that distinction from the disastrous _Jerry Lewis Show_ in 1963 which cost ABC $12.5 million for 13 episodes before being canceled. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2024, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327/93 "2024-02-15T01:12:19Z")
> [@dorvann](#): > > is The Chevy Chase Show that aired in 1993 still considered to be the absolute worst attempt at a late night talk show In addition to Magic Johnson’s flop, Pat Sajack surely deserves a mention. > **[The Pat Sajak Show](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pat_Sajak_Show)** > > The Pat Sajak Show was an American late-night television talk show that aired on CBS from January 9, 1989, to April 13, 1990. > The show was hosted by Pat Sajak, best known as host of the game show Wheel of Fortune. To do the talk show, Sajak left the NBC daytime version of Wheel, but remained the host of the syndicated nighttime version he is still hosting as of 2023. > Sajak's announcer and sidekick on the show was Dan Miller, his friend and former colleague from their time working together in th... > [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](#): > > I’m glad it’s a comedy bit. Here’s something from the “feud” - a video from Sarah Silverman, who was dating Jimmy Kimmel at the time. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vYU7xSMPCHw/hqdefault.jpg "Sarah Silverman I am Fucking Matt Damon") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYU7xSMPCHw) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-the-winner-of-the-best-late-night-host-show-in-your-opinion-is/980327.md?page=4)