# Poll: Favorite American Late Night Talk Show Host **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 24, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502 "2011-02-24T21:08:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/1 "2011-02-24T21:08:35Z")
I’m assuming The Tonight Show was late night when Steve Allen & Jack Paar hosted… ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/2 "2011-02-24T21:22:18Z")
Can a mod please edit the list to add David Letterman?:smack: Guess the edit window isn’t the same for polls… ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/3 "2011-02-24T21:31:51Z")
My “other” is for Letterman… ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/4 "2011-02-24T21:49:41Z")
Carson wins. I still miss the guy! ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/5 "2011-02-24T21:55:41Z")
No love for Ted Koppel? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/6 "2011-02-24T22:11:46Z")
I came in here all ready to vote for Craig Ferguson, but then I saw the “for all time” part. Nobody can compete with Carson. But Craig is definitely second for me. ---
**Author:** ![fusoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecccb3/32.png) [@fusoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fusoya)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/7 "2011-02-25T01:41:44Z")
Bill Maher wins for me, simply because his shows (both Politically Incorrect and Real Time) are the only ones that I’ve seen just about every single episode of, and make it my weekend (formerly nightly) routine to watch. Plus he’s about the only guy on that list not afraid to crack a joke at those who deserve it, or talk about the issues that everyone else is too afraid to mention on their shows. I don’t get the appeal of Craig Fergeson AT ALL. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/8 "2011-02-25T01:49:56Z")
I went with Conan, based on my guess at how involved he was in the writing. It’s been a long time, but he used to have fantastic sketches, which outweighs the interviewing part of the show for me. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/9 "2011-02-25T02:11:28Z")
I voted for Conan, because his show is the only one I’ve ever watched consistently (and laughed consistently, too). I’d add Stephen Colbert but I’m not sure he counts. He’s in a completely different league, and the format isn’t as traditional as the others (opening monologue, guest, guest, musical guest – with or without sidekick). ---
**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 25, 2011, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/10 "2011-02-25T02:25:36Z")
I went for Tom _Tomorrow_ Snyder. He had a great line up of rock stars as guest over the years, with wildly varying results. ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/11 "2011-02-25T02:27:12Z")
Jon Stewart Vote here. I was never crazy about Carson, I preferred the younger zanier Letterman back in the day. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Credible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a8b319/32.png) [@Justin\_Credible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Credible)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/12 "2011-02-25T04:11:05Z")
Conan, with Craig a very close second. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/13 "2011-02-25T04:23:39Z")
> [@Mixolydian](#): > > Can a mod please edit the list to add David Letterman?:smack: > > Guess the edit window isn’t the same for polls… [Mod mod]Is done.[/Mod mod] ---
**Author:** ![pepperlandgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f17d59/32.png) [@pepperlandgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pepperlandgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/14 "2011-02-25T04:40:39Z")
Larry Sanders. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/15 "2011-02-25T05:05:09Z")
Dick Cavett. Jeesh… ---
**Author:** ![Lakai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/9de0a6/32.png) [@Lakai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lakai)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/16 "2011-02-25T05:32:23Z")
My love for Jon Stewart yields to no other man. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 5:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/17 "2011-02-25T05:59:20Z")
I was going to vote for Jon Stewart . . . but then I remembered David Suskind, who had an intelligent and entertaining show from 1967-1987. He covered many controversial topics other shows wouldn’t, especially in the years of the “sexual revolution.” And no Dick Cavett? ---
**Author:** ![Mixolydian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Mixolydian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mixolydian)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2011, 6:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/18 "2011-02-25T06:35:02Z")
I thought about Susskind, but wondered whether he was only in NY? Was Dick Cavett late night? Stephen Colbert I admittedly missed; for some reason I don’t think of him as a traditional late night host, even though he comes on after the news ;-). I initally only put Jon Stewart in because he once hosted a LNTS on a major. Thanks, Czarcasm! ---
**Author:** ![Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a9a28c/32.png) [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/19 "2011-02-26T06:15:07Z")
Ferguson. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2011, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502/20 "2011-02-26T07:25:43Z")
Dick Cavett. Carson was a better host in some ways, but too much unfunny schtick. Minute-for-minute, Cavett gave more value. I’m not as old as I probably sound, but I’m not a commited viewer these decades and have hardly ever seen a number of the current crop. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/poll-favorite-american-late-night-talk-show-host/572502.md?page=2)