Who’s your favorite late-night star?
Posted on August 22nd, 2008 – 3:52 PMBy Neal Justin
There are many evenings that I’m willing to forego all prime-time programming and just stick with late night TV - and I’m not talking about just the usual suspects. It seems like the last home for serious talk (”Charlie Rose,” “Tavis Smiley”), spontaneous humor (Jimmy Kimmel has slipped ahead of Conan O’Brien in this department) and genuine movie stars (When he really, really admires someone, nobody fawns better than David Letterman).
So if I could only watch two late-night shows, which would they be? A year ago, I would have stuck with my old-standbys, “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” and “The Late Show With David Letterman”) but I’m ready to make an adjustment, at least until the political season is over.
“The Daily Show” is required viewing for the next three months. No other program, and that includes the Sunday-morning yakkers and “Nightline,” does a better job of gauging the temperature of the country - and if a bunch of professional comics jump on someone’s shortcomings, you can bet politicos will be soon behind.
If that’s the entree of the night, then Kimmel makes the ideas dessert. Politics rarely enters the discussion. Instead the focus is on pure goofiness, and not in a women-bouncing-on-trampoline kind of way. It’s the kind of spontaneous, let’s-throw-it-up-against-the-rubber-wall schtick that Steve Allen invented and David Letterman perfected that’s all too often missing in corporate entertainment. On some nights, O’Brien still has it. But more and more, I feel like he’s rehearsing for the more traditional “Tonight” format and giving The Masturbating Bear too many nights off.
Who’s with me?
4 Responses to "Who’s your favorite late-night star?"
[…] Originally published by Remote Island […]
Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert, hands down. Even if it’s not political season. Those guys are the best, like you said, at taking the temperature of real Americans. They also have decent guests — I’ve actually read some more books because of the guests — who can raise interesting and timely issues, despite (especially Colbert) the comedy. Jon Stewart, night after night, has the best opening monologues of all of them. I can’t remember the last time I actualy tuned into Letterman, Leno or the rest. Indecision 2008 indeed!
I watch a lot of the late night shows-thanks DVR!– and I traditionally like Dave and Conan the most. But I’d go for the meat of Jon Stewart and the silly sauce of Craig Fergeson for the next few months. The shows have been especially fresh of late.
I agree with what you say about Jon Stewart. Leno is my favorite late night person hands down. I find Kimmel and Letterman both mean-spirited. Haven’t seen enough of O’Brien yet.
