# TV Talk Shows

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-talk-shows/144355>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [December 22, 2002, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-talk-shows/144355 "2002-12-22T08:00:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-talk-shows/144355/1 "2002-12-22T08:00:32Z")

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Let’s try this in the Cafe.

What’s the best tv talk show? Who’s the best host? Of all time?  
The worst? Best moment?

I’m a Letterman fan. I’d rather tape that and watch it than a lot of other programming. Used to enjoy Johnny Carson (showing my age) especially the old 90 min. version. Conan seems to be a nice young man but I miss Andy. Kilborn is a prissy fop. Jon Stewart? I dunno.

Comments from other countries welcome. Is Terry Wogan still kickin’?

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**Author:** ![Stoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stoid/32/272_2.png) [@Stoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stoid)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-talk-shows/144355/2 "2002-12-22T08:39:41Z")

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I guess we are talking strictly late night…

I think there is a great deal to be said for Johnny Carson, even though his style would go over like a lead balloon today. But the man had class, timing, and while Jack Paar was probably the real inventor of the form, Carson perfected it.

All that said, Letterman rules.

And Jay Leno sucks strongly, in every category.

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**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:** [December 22, 2002, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-talk-shows/144355/3 "2002-12-22T17:24:33Z")

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_The Mike Douglas Show_, of course!

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**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-talk-shows/144355/4 "2002-12-22T17:33:34Z")

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Jon Stewart, Jon Stewart, Jon Stewart.

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**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\
**Post date:** [December 22, 2002, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-talk-shows/144355/5 "2002-12-22T18:58:57Z")

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Not necessarily late night, no.

Mike Douglas was my favorite afternoon show. He had/has a good personality, was a talented singer, liked to cut up and have fun and had a different guest co-host each week.

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**Author:** ![handsomeharry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e9c0ed/32.png) [@handsomeharry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handsomeharry)\
**Post date:** [December 23, 2002, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tv-talk-shows/144355/6 "2002-12-23T05:26:09Z")

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i still think that we should take a piece out of colin quinn!