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On April 28 James Corden announced that he will be leaving ‘The Late Late Show’ following its 2023 season. Corden has been with the CBS show since 2015 and has created iconic segments like Carpool Karaoke and Crosswalk the Musical which take not only television, but YouTube by storm. Corden states that he loves working for ‘The Late Late Show’ and credits a joyous working environment, but after a year of going out with a bang, it’s time for the next adventure. Perhaps a return to Broadway, or a rise in film roles. Though Corden’s announcement is the most recent, he’ll be joining a renowned group of retired late night hosts.
Hosting late night is an arduous task. The skill set required is like no other, hosts are typically comedians, with a monologue to open the show, they need to maintain their charisma throughout the episode, and they need to be skilled interviewers. In many ways, being a late night host is a bundle of many jobs in one. The greatest hosts leave their mark on the program and the genre as a whole, but there comes a time when each host must step away, relinquishing the desk to the next jack of all trades. Let’s take a look at some of the greatest.
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Johnny Carson – ‘The Tonight Show’
‘The Tonight Show’ had been airing for about a decade when Carson took the role of host. Late night was still a relatively new genre and Carson is credited with shaping the genre into what we know it as today. Carson and his legendary counterpart Ed McMahon stayed with ‘The Tonight Show’ for an incredible thirty years, working nearly every night to shape late night into a mixture of the then standard talk show format and our modern understanding of late night comedy. Carson set a high standard, knowing how to interview, being respected by each of the guests and comedians on the program, and incorporating bits and skits into the show. Carson hasn’t been a late night host for decades, but many still credit him with being the greatest.
Jon Stewart – ‘The Daily Show’
Although Jon Stewart was not the first host of ‘The Daily Show’, he’s definitely the host that made the show his own. Stewart had a tendency to combine his comedy with political commentary and the political nature of Stewart’s hosting became a significant identifier for what ‘The Daily Show’ is about. Not only did Stewart’s political comedy provide laughter in uncertain times but it also showed viewers how they should react to news that they would otherwise struggle to grapple with.
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Conan O’Brien – ‘Conan’
Though he is the show’s namesake and hosted for over ten years, ‘Conan’ is by no means O’Brien’s only late night experience. O’Brien also hosted ‘Late Night’ and’ ‘The Tonight Show’ to give him nearly thirty years of late night hosting experience. He was no stranger to late night or comedy before he started hosting, working as a writer on both ‘Saturday Night Live’ and ‘The Simpsons’. During his time on ‘SNL’ O’Brien worked in improv with fellow comedic genius Bob Odenkirk. As a host, O’Brien differed from his predecessors with drier, more self deprecating humor. ‘Conan’ aired its series finale in 2021, but O’Brien is by no means done making his mark on television.
Trevor Noah – ‘The Daily Show’
We know that Jon Stewart shaped what we now know as ‘The Daily Show’, so when he stepped down from the hosting position, he left big shoes to fill. Trevor Noah was a successful stand up comedian, but there’s no guarantee that his comedic prowess would translate to the late night format. Once he got the hang of it, Noah brought something special to ‘The Daily Show’. Noah was born in South Africa and, following in Stewart’s political footsteps, could offer a unique perspective as an outsider looking in. Noah’s comedy has helped countless Americans through the seven years he’s been hosting.
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Seth Meyers – ‘Late Night’
Another ‘SNL’ alum, Meyers had plenty of experience in comedy and late night, both writing and hosting the Weekend Update. When he stepped into hosting, that comedy followed him. Meyers knows when to drop a quip or lean into any joke material, and he shines when he interviews fellow comedians. He knows comedy well, he knows when good material is coming and how to make it pop. But he can be serious, too. His lengthy interview with comedian John Mulaney following Mulaney’s return from rehab was genuine and emotional, with Meyers’ very real care and concern for his friend shining through.
David Letterman – ‘The Late Show’
David Letterman has experiences regarding nearly every significant late night talk show. He’s hosted ‘Late Night’ and ‘The Late Show’ and was penciled in to become Carsen’s replacement on ‘The Tonight Show’ before the job was untimely given to Jay Leno. In his thirty years of late night hosting gigs, Letterman brought a younger audience wherever he went. This is due in part to his tendency to host alternative musical guests and in part to his overall personality. Letterman was more eccentric than other hosts at the time and acted as a contrast to the other personalities in the genre.
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John Oliver – ‘Last Week Tonight’
‘Last Week Tonight’ is different from a traditional late night show in a handful of ways. First, the series, as the name suggests, airs weekly rather than daily throughout the week. Second, there are hardly any guests or interviews on the show. But it isn’t entirely different, the show carries a lot of similarities to ‘The Daily Show’, which is to be expected as John Oliver worked as a correspondent on the show before he got his own series. When Oliver guest hosted ‘The Daily Show’ viewers and critics alike felt that he should have a full time hosting gig. While people considered which series he should take over when the current hosts departs, Oliver ended up with a series created just for him. ‘Last Week Tonight’ is more broadly involved in late night, as it is less a talk show and more political and news satire. Oliver’s comedy does not inhibit his political messaging, and ‘Last Week Tonight’ can be credited with actual change and influence over the social and political climate.
By Lara Glennon
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