Who are the most famous sinners in history?
Stephen Colbert worked some kind of comedic magic in creating his conservative TV host caricature that was both pompous and loveable, and would run successfully almost every day for 10 years. When 'The Colbert Report' ended, he went on to inherit ' The Late Show' from David Letterman.
The outrageous Joan Rivers appeared on talk shows from 1965 until her death in 2014. She got her start by guest hosting 'The Tonight Show' for Johnny Carson, and made her name with her wonderfully vulgar humor. She became the first-ever female late-night talk show host in 1986 when Fox gave her 'The Late Show with Joan Rivers.' She is still one of only a handful of women to earn such a role.
It's hard to define what Oprah Winfrey is to the world. Her daily show was one of the most popular talk shows of all time, and ran for 26 years. She earned the respect of her viewers by vowing to avoid tabloid topics on her show in an era where talk shows were becoming increasingly trashy and exploitative.
Ellen DeGeneres was the host who made her viewers feel like her best friends. However, her reputation was rocked in 2020, and in 2021 she announced that season 19 of 'The Ellen DeGeneres Show' would be its last. Its final episode aired on May 26, 2022, and she has now retired from hosting.
Bill Maher is a host and comedian who isn't afraid to upset people. He speaks the harsh truth as he sees it. This has gotten him hired and fired, but finally, he landed 'Real Time with Bill Maher' on HBO which has been running since 2002.
Howard Stern is one of the most controversial hosts in history, but he's also one of the best. He refuses to adhere to any kind of social norms on his shows, and that's why fans adore him. He has no time for phonies, and has an incredible skill for making celebrities talk about subjects they'd rather avoid.
Tom Snyder was an acerbic but well-respected presence on late-night TV. He was equally gruff with all of his guests, whether he was speaking to John Lennon or Charles Manson. When speaking to the latter, he told him to "stop the hogwash."
Johnny Carson was the center of American culture during his 30-year-reign as late-night king. He made it all look effortless, and all those who came afterwards credit him as one of the best.
Oprah has credited the late Phil Donahue with paving the way for her show's success. Donahue's daytime talk show ran from 1970 to 1996. Knowing his audience, Donahue took women's issues seriously, as well as tackling a wide range of difficult topics. He addressed race, gender, and most famously, the abuse scandals within the Catholic Church.
The 'Arsenio Hall Show' was the first late-night talk show hosted by an African-American man, and it was a raging success. Hall had presidential candidate Bill Clinton on the show, who famously played the sax in sunglasses and a suit. Clinton jokingly credits Hall with getting him elected thanks to his influence over the youth demographic.
Barbara Walters was one of the early female authorities on TV hosting. She began hosting 'The Today Show' in 1974 and became one of the most respected interviewers of her time. She was also well-known as a long-time host on 'The View.'
Terry Gross has been hosting the NPR show 'Fresh Air' since 1975! But guests beware: she does not pull punches. Gross is always prepared, always asks the hard questions, and isn't afraid to get into a heated debate.
Merv Griffin was the host of CBS' first ever late-night talk show in 1969, although they fired him within a few years for his controversial guests. He then started 'The Merv Griffin Show,' which ran for 21 years. He went on to become a media mogul, creating the shows 'Jeopardy!' and 'Wheel of Fortune.'
Regis Philbin and Kathie Lee Gifford were the loveable, good-natured morning show dream team. 'Live! With Regis and Kathie Lee' was famed for the natural banter between the hosts and ran for more than 20 years, becoming a bedrock of morning TV. Sadly, Philbin passed away in July 2020. As for his TV partner, she went on to co-host 'Today with Kathie Lee and Hoda.'
Morton Downey Jr. is neither reputable nor distinguished, but he is credited with being the pioneer of trash TV. His outrageously offensive show was so over the top that it did attract a particular following, described by Vulture as "angry, working-class whites." He was more hated than he was beloved, but the phenomenon of his short-lived success had a lasting impact on the world of television.
Sources: (Vulture) (Business Insider) (Cinema Blend)
Meredith Vieira is a journalist and TV host who has been broadcasting for more than 20 years. She is best known as a co-host on 'The View' (1997-2006) and for hosting 'Who Wants to Be a Millionaire' (2002-2013), as well as many morning news programs. She also briefly had her own talk show.
Jay Leno is one of the best known and most successful talk show hosts of all time. He started out as a masterful stand-up comedian, and many of his contemporaries felt he sold out when he started hosting and made his humor more generic. However, no one can deny his success.
Mike Douglas was a 1950s crooner and big band leader turned daytime TV host. He was the picture of Middle American values, but he allowed his platform to be a medium to expose Middle America to social issues and progressive politics. He hosted shows with John Lennon and Yoko Ono, Bobby Seale of the Black Panthers, and anti-war activist Jerry Rubin.
Seth Meyers was a head writer for 'Saturday Night Live' during some of its strongest years, and he brought that same humor to his hosting spot on 'Late Night.' He's always ready with a sharp comeback when interviewing his guests.
Larry King was one of the giants of news media. He started out with CNN in its early days and helped to grow it into one of the biggest networks in the world. His interview style was defined by an affable simplicity that endeared him to viewers and guests alike.
King hosted 'Larry King Live' on CNN for a quarter of a century and his career spanned over 60 years. He interviewed the likes of Frank Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and Vladimir Putin.
Jack Paar was the first ever king of late-night television. He began hosting 'The Tonight Show' in 1957, where he displayed an authenticity that was rare for the era. He cried on air, spoke about politics, and once kicked Mickey Rooney off the show for misbehaving!
Music star turned talk show host Kelly Clarkson took over DeGeneres' daytime TV slot on NBC. Clarkson seems to be a star on the rise in the world of daily talk shows.
British star James Corden was the host of the 'Late Late Show' for more than eight years, but on April 27, 2023, he said goodbye for the last time. Corden made the surprising announcement that he was leaving the show to pursue other areas of his career and move his family back to London. He described it as "the hardest decision I've ever had to make." The finale episode was an emotional affair with an A-list lineup. It included skits with Tom Cruise, the last-ever Carpool Karaoke which featured Adele, and a special video message from President Joe Biden. Will Ferrell and Harry Styles served as the final guests. Corden welled up during his last monologue as he spoke to his parents who were sitting in the audience.
Jimmy Kimmel is part of the younger generation of talk show legends, so it's hard to believe he's been on the air for 20 years! 'Jimmy Kimmel Live' first aired in January of 2003, so the beloved host and his team are celebrating their 20th anniversary. All those years ago, Kimmel was joined by Snoop Dogg, George Clooney, and Coldplay for his very first show. To mark the occasion, they all reunited for the anniversary special which aired on Jan. 26. In addition to countless call-backs to that first episode, numerous celebrities who appeared on the show over the years sent in video messages to congratulate Kimmel. Michelle Obama, Jennifer Aniston, Oprah Winfrey, and Ben Affleck are just a few of the big names.
Jon Stewart is one of the greats of the 21st century. Like many talk show hosts, he earned his stripes in stand-up comedy before landing his first serious gig. He was given 'The Daily Show' in 1999 and carried on hosting for the next 16 years, helping to build it into the institution it is today. Stewart stepped down in 2015, choosing Trevor Noah as his successor, who hosted the show until 2022. Since then, 'The Daily Show' has been in search of a new host. After a year of different comedians serving as guest hosts, Stewart has announced that he's returning to take the helm! On Monday nights, at least.
Stewart is returning both as a producer of 'The Daily Show' and part-time host through the 2024 presidential election cycle. He began hosting on Mondays starting February 12, leaving the other weekdays to the show's regular correspondents.
Conan O’Brien is the startlingly successful oddball of late-night TV. His career has had ups and downs, but hey, he still made it work for almost 30 years! 'Conan' ran for 11 years, but these days he's more celebrated for his comedy travel show and range of podcasts.
Craig Kilborn was the first ever host of 'The Daily Show' in the 1990s, and he went on to host 'The Late Late Show' for five years. When he hosted, he put on an obtuse frat boy persona that played well with audiences, although many wondered if it was really just an act...
In the last decade, young stars like James Corden and Trevor Noah picked up some of the prime spots on late-night and daytime television, representing a new generation of talk show hosts that have started to take center stage. While it's great to have a new perspective, we can't forget about the legends who created the art of the celebrity interview and made talk shows what they are today.
From Johnny Carson to Ellen DeGeneres, there are dozens of hosts who paved the way and whose influence will never be forgotten. Click through this gallery to see the greatest talk show hosts of all time.
The best talk show hosts of all time
How did the new hosts compare to the legends?
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In the last decade, young stars like James Corden and Trevor Noah picked up some of the prime spots on late-night and daytime television, representing a new generation of talk show hosts that have started to take center stage. While it's great to have a new perspective, we can't forget about the legends who created the art of the celebrity interview and made talk shows what they are today.
From Johnny Carson to Ellen DeGeneres, there are dozens of hosts who paved the way and whose influence will never be forgotten. Click through this gallery to see the greatest talk show hosts of all time.