Strangest guest host I saw was Vincent Price for Carson. This was back when Carson took almost the whole summer off. Price said “I can’t do comedy, so I will sing a song” and he wasn’t a bad singer. I think Price was a last minute fill in for the scheduled guest host.
Apparently he never saw a Vincent Price film.
Anyway, I reject the idea that Leno is “too safe and boring” to host the Tonight Show, considering that he did quite well at for over a decade and was still going strong when the network bumped him, with catastrophic results. So most Dopers don’t seem to be Leno fans. Neither am I. I never watch his shows and I’ve never bought the talk-show-host-with-a-heart-of-gold image that stuck with him until recently. But guess what, he was very successful at what he did. The fact that I never liked him doesn’t mean he wasn’t the best man for the job.
I find it interesting that every Tonight Show host has been a white guy. And every current late night talk show (that runs M-F on a network) is a white guy. And most of the suggestions in this thread has been white guys. Therefore, the next Tonight Show host will be… Barack Obama.
I remember this. He was great.
Wayne Brady?
Well, two other people I almost put in the OP are not white guys:
Will Smith - One of the most popular actors in the world, possibly #1. And he has TV experience. I just didn’t list him because the idea of him wanting to do it seems implausible.
Ellen DeGeneres - Already hosts a popular talk show, and is well-liked. She is actually my third choice but I didn’t go past two choices in the OP. I’m frankly surprised no one else has named her yet.
When Craig Kilborn left the Late Late Show, CBS went through a whole bunch of guest hosts while looking for his replacement. The frontrunner for a long time was DL Hughley until Craig Ferguson came in, did his Scottish Conan Guy schtick and blew everybody away.
While I felt bad for DL, Craig Ferguson is now the best late night host by far.
The only correct answer is: The Most Interesting Man in the World.
No, he would be the best possible guest.
He already has a gig, meaning we’d have to endure three more years of drama before he could get behind the desk.
This is an excellent idea. The only hangup I see is that Ellen’s show is produced by Warner Brothers, which is tied up with the CW Network. Maybe the best possible solution is for NBC to buy the CW – also getting itself some programs that appeal to a younger demographic.
Sadly, after 2012, that’s a real possibility.
Who’s that Talk Soup guy? Only it’s not called Talk Soup anymore. Joel McHale.
I bet (based on his show “Spectacle” on Sundance Channel) that Elvis Costello would do a good job.
I also know the David Byrne is extremely literate and politically aware, (he is also somewhat aloof and arrogant) and would probably make an interesting host.
(I don’t imagine either one would ever go for such a career move, though)
Damn right. He’s great at talking to guests about all sorts of things besides whatever they’re there to flog, and you never know – I think he often doesn’t know – where he’s going to go with what he’s saying, except that it’s usually hilarious. He does overdo the archness sometimes, but overall he’s way better than the rest of the pack.
When Britney Spears was melting down, he stated one night that he wasn’t going to joke about her:
I remember I was surprised late night comics did not joke about Anna Nicole Smith dying. Guess they figured she was too much of a tragic figure.
Norm MacDonald, an edgier Letterman who has Conan’s credibility with younger and more indie performing artists who he may be booking.
I think Drew Carey should do the impossible, or at least, the unthinkable. He should make the transition from America’s most beloved Morning Show Host on the Price is Right, to America’s most beloved Night Time Host on one of the networks’ various Tonight Shows.
Craig Ferguson is seriously one of the funniest and (you’re right) arch and just all over the place hosts. He has no problem making fun of people in power, but he has a sweet side–and your quote about when he stopped being one of the vultures on Britney is one I remember.
I’m reading Between the Bridge and the River. It’s wonderful if you have a sense of humor, but don’t read it if you’re gay. Or straight. Or a Christian. Or an athiest. And especially not if you’re English. Or Scots. Or if you have any opinion on pyschotherapy. Or Tv. Or…
Well, it’s a fun book.
I have heard that the two most intelligent actors–at least on the game show circuit–are David Duchovny and Cheech Marin. Either of them might make an interesting choice. What are they doing now that’s more important?
I think the winner is…Dennis Miller. Hilarious, edgy, capable of bloviating for hours on end, and conservative enough to resonate with the older folks as well as the young’uns.
Although, I have to agree with MPB about Elvis Costello. I saw him serve as a last-minute fill-in for Letterman once (EC was supposed to be a guest, but Dave got sick so they moved him behind the desk) and he was great - erudite, funny, and good at drawing out the other guests.
Along the same lines, I think Adam Carolla is a really good interviewer as well. He was in the running for Ferguson’s job along with DL Hughley, and he did a very good job. Of course I’d miss his podcasts if he stopped doing them, so I’m glad this is just hypothetical.