# Late night TV (and pretty much all talk shows) are nothing more than infomercials **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 26, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709 "2014-11-26T20:19:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/21 "2014-11-26T23:55:32Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > I’ve never read an article ranting against it online, etc. Why rant about the sky being blue? ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/22 "2014-11-27T01:48:09Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > But see, I don’t mind the stars and what they’re doing - after all, a person’s got to make a living. Besides, sometimes the movies are good. > > We all know that the entertainment industry is a huge, soulless machine. And most of us are cool with that, because it entertains us on occasion. I’m sure you have a rich, fulfilling life without it, and hey, good for you. Myself, sometimes I feel like buying what they’re selling. You going to judge me for it? I am not condemning every single bit of content that gets on the shows, nor am I condemning entertainment in general. I like entertainment too. What I am criticizing is the fundamentally dishonest and fake nature of talk shows. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/23 "2014-11-27T01:56:52Z")
I wasn’t alive for his show, but I enjoy watching reruns on youtube of Dick Cavett. He’s clever and funny without being in your face–more of a dry, witty tone. It’s less “Here’s someone promoting a new movie/show” and more a genuine conversation among guests with something to say. (Or Norman Mailer just dominating…) ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 2:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/24 "2014-11-27T02:36:09Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > I wasn’t alive for his show, but I enjoy watching reruns on youtube of Dick Cavett. He’s clever and funny without being in your face–more of a dry, witty tone. It’s less “Here’s someone promoting a new movie/show” and more a genuine conversation among guests with something to say. (Or Norman Mailer just dominating…) I agree, he was very good. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/25 "2014-11-27T04:32:19Z")
> [@Miller](#): > > Is the OP under the impression that non-late night tv shows exist for any reason other than selling stuff? IMHO, there is a difference between: 1. a show that entertains, with the expectation that you’ll watch commercials along the way and 1. a show that sells you a product, with the possibility of entertaining you along the way I’m often willing to sit through the first. I actively turn off the second. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/26 "2014-11-27T05:41:18Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > IMHO, there is a difference between: > > 1. a show that entertains, with the expectation that you’ll watch commercials along the way > > and > > 1. a show that sells you a product, with the possibility of entertaining you along the way > I’m often willing to sit through the first. I actively turn off the second. I would, too. But I haven’t seen a talk show like that in really long time. No host actually just talks to the guest about what they are trying to promote. And late night shows have at least half a show before those interviews. What you say is why I don’t watch any commercials except those at the Super Bowl, since those are the only ones where the goal of selling you something and being entertaining align. Your goal has to be to be entertaining, or else you can’t sell me anything. ---
**Author:** ![Nom\_de\_Plume](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/85f322/32.png) [@Nom\_de\_Plume](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nom_de_Plume)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 8:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/27 "2014-11-27T08:38:59Z")
One of the things I’ve liked about Craig Ferguson’s show is how he just talks to the guests. He tries to only book guests he wants to talk to, and doesn’t really let them plug their stuff. He tears up the notecards at the beginning of interviews. Too bad he’s quitting the show, although he seems to have gotten bored with the format. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 9:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/28 "2014-11-27T09:43:51Z")
There are a lot of things dishonest about talk shows, but the OP’s complaint is not one of them. They openly acknowledge their purpose to advertise stuff. The fact that the word “plug” is freely used makes it obvious. There are no internet rants about it because everyone knows this. Plugging is why late night talk show exist. And Jimmy Fallon is a great host, infectiously enthusiastic, genial, and a great mimic. Given all that, I never watch them. All the advertising birds me. I do enjoy the occasional clip though. Seinfeld will always be one of the best sitcoms ever made. I don’t know what that has to with late night talk shows, but there you go. ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/29 "2014-11-27T12:24:38Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > There are no internet rants about it because everyone knows this. Plugging is why late night talk show exist. I think this is a specious argument. Precisely because something is obvious it should come under fire frequently. For example, people call out cheesy product placement in movies all the time, even though what’s going on is no mystery. “Everybody knows it already” is a very good reason for people saying they know it, but I’ve never heard it said. In the whole Leno/Coco kerfuffle, I never heard it just thrown out, “Oh but we all know that talk shows are bullshit sales pitches.” I’m asking why this isn’t the case. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/30 "2014-11-27T12:43:30Z")
Mainly I thing it’s because other than you, nobody thinks talk shows are important enough to talk about. They shouldn’t come under fire because they’re largely a waste of ammo. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/31 "2014-11-27T13:33:32Z")
> [@faithfool](#): > > **Justin** , are you in the entertainment business in some way? You seem extremely knowledgable and I didn’t know if you’d ever said that it was just a hobby for you or if you worked in the field. Either way, I’m very impressed with how up on all this stuff that you are. Nah, I just like keeping up on all this stuff. Though keeping track of popular movies and music is part of my librarian job in a slight way. > [@Aeschines](#): > > Not liking Seinfeld is contrarian? What does Seinfeld have to do in a rant about talk shows? Seinfeld isn’t a talk show host and never was. So saying you don’t like him is hijacking your own OP. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/32 "2014-11-27T13:45:29Z")
[QUOTE=Aeschines] The insidious problems in all this are almost too numerous to mention, but ultimately it’s a happy, digestible world constructed for the masses to make it easy to buy buy buy. It normalizes consumption and reassures the consumers. It’s propaganda for the world order, basically. [/QUOTE] Consumption is already normal, it comes with disposable income and keeps people employed. No idea what you mean by “world order”, it sounds like mumbling from behind that “V for Vendetta” mask. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/33 "2014-11-27T14:47:16Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > “Everybody knows it already” is a very good reason for people saying they know it, but I’ve never heard it said. > > In the whole Leno/Coco kerfuffle, I never heard it just thrown out, “Oh but we all know that talk shows are bullshit sales pitches.” > > I’m asking why this isn’t the case. I don’t think I’ve ever actually _said_ that TV commercials are designed by advertisers to make a memorable sales pitch – built to persuade and inform potential customers, often while entertaining – and, as per the old saying, long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting. I kinda thought everyone knew that. I genuinely hope I haven’t just now ruined TV commercials for you by pointing it out. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 27, 2014, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/34 "2014-11-27T14:56:37Z")
[Back when late night TV was worth watching.](http://www.audioroundtable.com/images/RCA_Test_Pattern.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Aeschines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aeschines/32/16251_2.png) [@Aeschines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aeschines)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/35 "2014-11-28T04:32:43Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > What does Seinfeld have to do in a rant about talk shows? Seinfeld and Fallon both have shit-eating grins. ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 10:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/36 "2014-11-28T10:05:25Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > [Back when late night TV was worth watching.](http://www.audioroundtable.com/images/RCA_Test_Pattern.jpg) You left out the best part: [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHQeSNxb0lE](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bHQeSNxb0lE)🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/37 "2014-11-28T18:01:38Z")
I thought all tv shows existed to spread the commercials apart. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/38 "2014-11-28T18:41:38Z")
> [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](#): > > I thought all tv shows existed to spread the commercials apart. Television is an advertising medium that occasionally shows less overtly-promotional material. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/39 "2014-11-28T18:45:28Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever actually _said_ that TV commercials are designed by advertisers to make a memorable sales pitch – built to persuade and inform potential customers, often while entertaining – and, as per the old saying, long enough to cover the subject, but short enough to be interesting. I kinda thought everyone knew that. Well, that’s being far too kindly towards the methods and motives, kind of like saying part of a prison guard’s job is to helpfully direct lost prisoners to the mess hall. The “entertainment” value and most of the “informing” is purely self-serving window-dressing that the marketers would omit if they could. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2014, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709/40 "2014-11-28T19:44:09Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > Funny, I never heard about him until a few weeks ago, and suddenly he is everywhere. > > He seems charming, but still… it’s all about validating the stars and what they’re doing. No, actually, the plugs are brief and the stories are mostly entertaining. Graham Norton seems to have the ability to bring the best/funniest out of a lot of different types of entertainers. Unfortunately I have no luck with this show, BBC America seems riddled with digital artifacts and malfunctions that makes it nearly unwatchable much of the time. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/late-night-tv-and-pretty-much-all-talk-shows-are-nothing-more-than-infomercials/705709.md?page=3)