Tonight Show Hosts

HiDesertHal

HiDesertHal

Senior Member
Location
Southern California's High Mojave Desert
The pioneer of this format was Steve Allen, a true intellectual wit, as well as a comedian, author, composer, and musician.

My favorite over the years was Johnny Carson, which I'm sure was everyone's favorite.

I never liked Conan O'Brien, even if he does employ excellent writers.

Jack Paar was good, as well as David Letterman, but "Heeeere's Johnny" was the best!

Hal
 

I agree about Carson. I liked Letterman in his earlier years (anyone else remember his morning show?) but in his later years he seemed to just be going through the motions and being extra snarky. I don't watch any of the late night shows now.
 
Conan O'Brien isn't as clever/funny as he thinks he is. Must be why his show is
so late in the evening. Thankfully I'm in bed when he's on.
 

I loved Johnny Carson and watched his shows for many years every day until his last show. He was great. I liked Conan for awhile but then got bored with him. I wasn't much of a Letterman fan. I want to start watching Steven Colbert or however his last name is spelled.
 
I was never a Carson fan but we used to laugh at how he couldn't keep his hands off his nose. When it became public he was a cocaine addict we all said, Oh no, say it isn't so.

I loved Letterman when he did the late late show on NBC. Stupid pet tricks, stupid human tricks, craziness like being covered in sponges and lowered into a vat of dip. Wearing a magnetic suit and walking through shelves of flatware. I used to laugh until I cried. After he moved to CBS, I enjoyed his interviews with people he liked, e.g. Warren Zevon who became a close friend of Dave's. Letterman was at his best in those interviews. He could be terrible when interviewing celebrity divas he didn't like, e.g. Cher and Madonna. I didn't like them either, so it didn't matter but if I cared about them it might have bothered me.

I loved Dick Cavett for his intelligent interviews. Jack Parr was so neurotic he was funny.
 
I’ve enjoyed all the hosts..some of the time
Seems they all had their moments
But
Styles go stale
Some quicker than others

I liked Dick Cavett’s dry, witty (almost British) delivery

Jimmy Kimmel seems good with kids/parents stuff

Speaking of;
Noah Ritter stole my heart
...and funny bone

I like Jeanne Moos, most always
(even though she’s on that biased CNN channel)

I used to flip back and forth 'tween Cason/Leno and Letterman
 
Yeah I was going to put his name too but didn't. Seems like people really like him or really don't..no in-between, but I thought he was so quirky and funny.
 
Smiling Jane.....no, I didn't see that....it was on so darn late. I would DVR it and then not get to all of the shows.
 
It was obvious the sparks flew. He probably ran up there and talked to her and got her contact info at the first break. Nothing was said about it until they got married.
 
When Johnny Carson first started I didn't care much for him. It seemed like every joke had to have some off-color double meaning, like a gimmick, or lazy way, to get some laughter. He got away from that somewhat later. I thought he was better as a host, than a comedian. I liked Jay Leno. All his jokes were straight humor. More talent required, and good writers, imo.

But I quit watching late night regularly decades ago. Don't know anything about the new hosts, except the few times I've happened to tune in I didn't care at all for Conan O'brien.
 
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I used to watch Carson with my mom. It was fun. I remember that Letterman had a daytime show for a while, which I actually liked better than his late night show. I liked Leno...especially when he did Headlines.
I do not watch much late night anymore, but do occasionally watch Jimmy Fallon. I like him.
 

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