Late Night Wars

[frunk]

James Corden is the most talented man in late night, the best actor, singer, dancer.  He isn't that great an interviewer, but Reggie Watts makes it all worthwhile.

[Barrister]

Oh come on, there have been plenty of terrible Late Night hosts.

I know. 

Joan Rivers?  Pat Sajak?  Arsenio Hall?  Bill Maher?  Trevor Noah?

I liked Joan Rivers.

By the way the real worst late night host was Mike Bullard.

[Eddie Teach]

Joan Rivers?  Pat Sajak?  Arsenio Hall?  Bill Maher?  Trevor Noah?

I liked Joan Rivers.

Arsenio Hall was rather entertaining for a kid up past bedtime. 

[Savonarola]

Joan Rivers?  Pat Sajak?  Arsenio Hall?  Bill Maher?  Trevor Noah?

I liked Joan Rivers.

Arsenio Hall was rather entertaining for a kid up past bedtime. 

New rap sensation Chunky A!

In any event Magic Johnson's "The Magic Hour" was undoubtedly the worst Late Night show.

[Valmy]

In any event Magic Johnson's "The Magic Hour" was undoubtedly the worst Late Night show.

Boy you got that right.

[Eddie Teach]

Is that Peter Dinklage at 2:06? 

[dps]

They go for cheap forgettable laughs, never seeking or succeeding at making any kind of a point with their jokes.

WTF is wrong with this?

Agree, there's nothing wrong with that approach.  The problem with Leno once he took over The Tonight Show was that he aimed low, and still missed. 

IMO, he was a lot better before he got the late night gig.  Kind of the opposite of Letterman, who didn't hit his stride until he moved to late night.

[OttoVonBismarck]

I can't even answer the poll. I guess I liked Colbert when I occasionally watched him on Comedy Central, but I just don't watch the late shows anymore. In the 80s and 90s, and really early 2000s (maybe up to 2003ish), I watched them but not since then. I thought Letterman was the best in the 80s, I liked him way better than Carson (who in that era was solidly grandpa territory TV), and liked Letterman through the mid-90s when I started liking Conan a lot. By the end of the era in which I watched the late shows I'd turn the TV on for Conan's show but would skip Letterman and Leno entirely. Leno was never very good, and I would typically only watch him on the rare occasion where Letterman had something boring on and Leno had a really high profile guest.

These days, some 12+ years later, I literally cannot even imagine sitting down and watching a nightly variety show. It's so alien to how I watch TV in general these days.

[The Brain]

I didn't watch Letterman until the 90s, and he seemed a bit out of it.

[Sophie Scholl]

I watched Ferguson fairly regularly.  Now?  No one really.  If there is a specific guest or musical act I want to see, I'll watch whichever show they happen to be on.  I miss Craig, Geoff, and Secretariat.

[garbon]

I wouldn't watch his show, but only one person brought me this remake of Ironic.

http://www.buzzfeed.com/christianzamora/alanis-morissette-updated-ironic-lyrics-with-modern-struggle#.sr6ov9q40

Oddly enough though I watched the video last night, it is now no longer available in my country.

[KRonn]

These days, some 12+ years later, I literally cannot even imagine sitting down and watching a nightly variety show. It's so alien to how I watch TV in general these days.

I also rarely watch the shows, usually I'm in bed before then, but I often check to see who their guests are and will record it if I want to see the guest.

[The Minsky Moment]

John Oliver hands down. He has more insight in his little finger than the rest of them combined, with the possible exception of Colbert. All of the others (than Oliver and Colbert) are entertainer sell-outs, really.

?
They are late night talk show hosts.  They are supposed to be entertainers.  That is their job, period. "Insight" has nothing to do with the job.  Anything else is just on the side.

[DGuller]

You can entertain by performing cute animal tricks, or you can entertain by cerebral humor.

[garbon]

I've always preferred celestial humor.