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The current state of Late Night TV

Now that Jay Leno has retired from The Tonight Show and Conan O'Brien is just too goofy for my taste, I thought I would give David Letterman one more chance. I stopped watching him a year or so ago because I ceased to enjoy the content and direction that he has taken his show. My one more chance was short lived though. I didn't even make it through one show before I found myself getting annoyed at him rather than being entertained by him. So far Jimmy Kimmel and Carson Daily just don’t hold my attention either.

I am looking forward to Jay Leno’s new show at 10PM but I will probably miss it more often than I catch it because I usually don’t start to watch TV until the 11 O’clock news comes on. I just may have to get a TiVo or a DVR.

So what is your take on Late Night TV? Do you think any of it worth watching anymore?

I thought conan was pretty funny. but to each his own.

I have been a fan of Conan for many years now, and I am glad he took over for Jay, whom I did not find that funny. I enjoy Conan's self-deprecating and silly style, although I understand he is not everyone's cup of tea.

Another Conan fan, here. It just clicks for me.

I'm so oldschool I stopped watching late night TV when JC retired and never got back into the habit again.

I've had the opposite effect...I couldn't stand Leno. Conan, however, cracks me up. To each his own. I liked Dave when he was on NBC, but man...that was a long time ago. I still appreciate him, though...but don't watch all that much.

I was a Mike Yarwood fan. Nothing interesting since then.

Doc

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Strangelove (Post 2844655)

I was a Mike Yarwood fan. Nothing interesting since then.

Doc

**Glancing over to see what Country poster is from.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesPclay (Post 2844575)

Not that I watch any TV all that often, but I agree with you.

Never did like Conan.. he just seemed like one of those weird NYC freaks.. Kind of like Sinefeld and all his strange friends...

Jay was OK, but I still didn't watch him much. I watched Johnny all the time. I miss him and Ed... but I did like Kevin with Jay... Never was a David fan either... he was just too dry... and Paul... um.. ok... :screwy:

Quote:

Originally Posted by similost (Post 2844685)

LOL! I have met Paul Schaefer- a bigger lush would be hard to find.

Anyway, I miss Tom Snyder.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ablethevoice (Post 2844585)

I'm so oldschool I stopped watching late night TV when JC retired and never got back into the habit again.

I can relate to that.
Can't say I like any of them anymore. With so many cable channels there's always something else on.

I find myself more often than not watching Charlie Rose on our PBS station. He comes on here at 11pm. It is pretty amazing the wide number of subjects that he and his guests explore. Without all the drama and screaming that often takes place on other "talk" shows.

Still a Letterman fan. I've always enjoyed his sense of humor. Any one ever catch Graham Norton on BBC America??

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultra-Hog (Post 2844567)

It might be time to get cable if you can afford it and then watch reruns of movies like "Police Academy" and "Stripes" latenight. That's what I do.
Last night it was "Aliens" and if "Predator" was on I would have watched that too.:beerchug:

I always figured it was an age thing. My kids all like Conan, and the oldest is now 23-years-old. I always liked Conan. I'd turn on Leno to see who he had as guests and then be able to switch to CBS and not miss Dave's lineup. I'd usually leave it on Dave. Leno's okay when his material is on. Dave is naturally funny and intelligent. Jay won't last long at ten-o'clock five-days-a-week. And he doesn't need to. It's NBCs fault for trying to save money with just another form of unscripted "live" reality TV shows. Jay knew when it was the right time to leave, and certainly doesn't need the job!

As for that age thing, I'm 53 and still remember laughing at Jack Paar whose level of erudition enhanced his humor. I'm particularly fond of the defense of his principles being the cause of his leaving. There are many stories but this is one I just located:

Quote:

Censorship & Scandals
Jack PaarJack Paar's Water Closet Joke - One of the early classic moments in television censorship occurred when late night talk show host Jack Paar walked off his NBC program after the network censors nixed a somewhat randy (for the times) bathroom joke. The joke was based on the misinterpretation of the initials W.C. --an English lady thinking it was a "water closet" and the Swiss schoolmaster thinking she meant "Wayside Chapel." The NBC censors thought the joke was dirty and cut it from the February 10, 1960 broadcast without consulting with Paar. When Paar discovered that his four-minute story had been cut, he later walked off in the middle of the live show. As he said "I've been up thirty hours without an ounce of sleep wrestling with my conscience all day. I've made a decision about what I'm going to do. I'm leaving THE TONIGHT SHOW. There must be a better way to make a living than this, a way of entertaining people without being constantly involved in some form of controversy. I love NBC, and they've been wonderful to me. But they let me down." The joke that caused all of the controversy is printed below:

"An English lady, while visiting Switzerland, was looking for a room, and she asked the schoolmaster if he could recommend any to her. He took her to see several rooms, and when everything was settled, the lady returned to her home to make the final preparations to move. When she arrived home, the thought suddenly occurred to her that she had not seen a "W.C." [water closet, a euphemism for bathroom] around the place. So she immediately wrote a note to the schoolmaster asking him if there were a "W.C." around. The schoolmaster was a very poor student of English, so he asked the parish priest if he could help in the matter. Together they tired to discover the meaning of the letters "W.C.," and the only solution they could find for the letters was letters was a Wayside Chapel. The schoolmaster then wrote to the English lady the following note:

Dear Madam:

I take great pleasure in informing you that the W.C. is situated nine miles from the house you occupy, in the center of a beautiful grove of pine trees surrounded by lovely grounds. It is capable of holding 229 people and it is open on Sunday and Thursday only. As there are a great number of people and they are expected during the summer months, I would suggest that you come early: although there is plenty of standing room as a rule. You will no doubt be glad to hear that a good number of people bring their lunch and make a day of it. While others who can afford to go by car arrive just in time. I would especially recommend that your ladyship go on Thursday when there is a musical accompaniment. It may interest you to know that my daughter was married in the W.C. and it was there that she met her husband. I can remember the rush there was for seats. There were ten people to a seat ordinarily occupied by one. It was wonderful to see the expression on their faces. The newest attraction is a bell donated by a wealthy resident of the district. It rings every time a person enters. A bazaar is to be held to provide plush seats for all the people, since they feel it is a long felt need. My wife is rather delicate, so she can't attend regularly. I shall be delighted to reserve the best seat for you if you wish, where you will be seen by all. For the children, there is a special time and place so that they will not disturb the elders. Hoping to have been of service to you, I remain,

Sincerely,

The Schoolmaster."

Late Night has been in a sad state ever since Johnny retired. Dave does not have Johnny's panache. Some of what Jay did, especially "Headlines" was very much in the spirit of Johnny but Leno is not even Carson lite. I find Conan annoying and smug and like him least of everyone else save Jimmy Kimmel.

What the hell ever happened to The Red Skelton Show?
Johnny and Ed were good and everyone after them tried to copy them in my opinion. :smoke:

Out of all of them,Id say I like Craig Ferguson on the Late,Late Show on CBS.Hes pretty straight forward about his life,and he seems like a good combination of old school and new school.His skits with Betty White are priceless.
Jimmy

I've always preferred Letterman over Leno...Jay just seems like Bob Hope with a big chin instead of a big nose.

Steve Allen is off the air??????

Conon is OK, not great, but OK. It just goes downhill from there. I miss Carson, especially his skits.

Carl

The only one of those jaspers I liked was Jack Paar, back then they actually had interesting conversation on TV. Now it's just the latest moronic celebrity talking about what a "privilege" it was to work with Brad Pitt, Cameron Diaz or some other such idiot. Carson was down a step from Paar but worlds better than the smarmy louts on late night TV today.

I liked when they showed old movies on channel 9 after the news. I'd rather watch "Sante Fe Trail" for the 20th time than anything these late night "hosts" have going.

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Originally Posted by 2DualsNotEnough (Post 2844826)

:thmbsp::thmbsp::thmbsp:

He and Conan are my favorites.

Believe it or not, I still miss Craig Kilborn. Ferguson isn't bad, but he's no Kilborn.
Jay Leno was pretty good at telling jokes, but a lightweight interviewer. I do not think his primetime show will last longer than a year.
I love Letterman's caustic humor and blunt interviewing style, but after a while it gets a wee bit tiring.
Conan is okay, I guess, but not my favorite. Kimmel, same thing.
Jimmy Fallon is a very unfunny joke. WTH is NBC thinking?

Out of this crop then I'd have to say Letterman is the least offensive.

I think that Ron White from the Blue Collar Comedy Tour would be a good host. Hell, they's even play him in a tavern.:smoke:

Ｉ　ｓｔｏｐｐｅｄ　ｗａｔｃｈｉｎｇ　ａｌｌ　ｔｈｏｓｅ　ｓｈｏｗｓ　ｙｅａｒｓ　ａｇｏ．　Ｎｏｗ　Ｉｊｕｓｔ　ｓｔｉｃｋ　ｔｏ　Ｔｈｅ　Ｄａｉｌｙ　Ｓｈｏｗ　ａｎｄ　Ｃｏｌｂｅｒｔ　Ｒｅｐｏｒｔ．．Ｃｏｒｏｌｌａ　ａｎｄ　Ｋｉｍｍｅｌ　ｓｕｃｋｅｄ　ａｆｔｅｒ　Ｔｈｅ　Ｍａｎ　Ｓｈｏｗ．

Quote:

Originally Posted by rockin1150 (Post 2844574)

I thought conan was pretty funny. but to each his own.

Did you say funny lookin',in my opinion funny or not his face,maybe it's the makeup, makes him look like a deceased person or a zombie.............

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plitron (Post 2844817)

What the hell ever happened to The Red Skelton Show?
Johnny and Ed were good and everyone after them tried to copy them in my opinion. :smoke:

Right on,my sentiments exactly!.........

Quote:

Originally Posted by 2DualsNotEnough (Post 2844826)

+1 Craig Ferguson, on the rare occasion I have watched latenight i have found him far more amusing than obrien, and letterman because he doesn't appear to be quite as full of himself and is just out there for the laugh, IMO.
tal

Tried to watch Conan. I can not stand Andy Richter. So, once was enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Brennan (Post 2844927)

Now that's funny! I loved Jack Parr but also Steve Allen who was wild and crazy as well as zany but Carson that's another story in its self!Carson down a step,I don't think so,he was and will be forever the "KING" of late night.Along with ED and Doc nobody can or will ever touch them.I watched all the previously mentioned and they all had their own qualities but after watching Johnny's show from the very beginning to his last show WOW he was great and you have to remember the eras or times each one of these great people were on TV as each of them began their shows.As a new one came in the comedy of their time was shifting so they played or acted to it,so of course someone like Carson could not be compared accurately to the others and vice-versa and Carson was the perfect fit for the time he was on,cripes he'd still be perfect but alas that can never be."LONG LIVE THE KING" if only in great memories...............Rick....P/S Thank you all wherever you are!

I miss Johnny Carson and Steve Allen. Steve Allen mostly since he had a quirky sense of humor.

I've been watching Conan lately, and I really think he is quite funny. It's the kind of awkward and random Seinfeld-esque comedy I love. I mean, tonight he had a massive plastic/paper mache meteor blow away Tom Hanks. That rounds up my late night trifecta: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, The Colbert Report with Stephen Colbert (my favorite of the three), and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien.

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnalogDigit (Post 2845487)

I miss Johnny Carson and Steve Allen. Steve Allen mostly since he had a quirky sense of humor.

When I was a kid I couldnt wait for another "Tea Time Movie" skit-"Back to our movie starring Elton John,John Wayne,Wayne Newton,and Olivia Newton John,and Buzz the Wonder Eel."
Jimmy

I miss "Night after Night" with Allan Havey that was on the Comedy Channel in the early '90s, with the "Audience of One". I'm probably the one of the few that watched it, but it was pretty darned funny. And the late night Steve Allen Show "From Hollywood & Vine" syndicated in the early 60s was great too, used to bug my parents when I would get up after everyone else was in bed, and go in to the living room where the TV was to watch it.

I do enjoy Craig Ferguson but the problem is that, due to his charming accent, I have to turn the volume up so that I can understand him and that wakes my wife up. Consequently I don't get to watch his show often.

I do remember Steve Allen and Jack Parr somewhat vaguely and their shows seemed to be far better than anything on today. I will add my vote that Johnny Carson with Ed McMahon were the best of the best. They set the bar so high that I doubt we will ever see a long lasting quality show like they made of the Tonight Show.

Stopped watching after Carson. The NBC orchestra spoiled me as well as Johnny. Plus Ed just laughing would kill me sometimes.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ultra-Hog (Post 2846616)

Do what my folks do: switch on the closed captioning. :)
Tom

Quote:

Originally Posted by OvenMaster (Post 2847948)

Do what my folks do: switch on the closed captioning. :)
Tom

Not a bad idea. Thanks.

Briefly off topic:
I have a pair of wireless headphones but they really suck. The internal batteries are in bad shape, they don't hold a channel / frequency, and they fall apart all the time. You did get me to thinking though. I have an extra Bluetooth headset. I wonder if I can find a way to take the line level audio-out jacks on the TV to drive a simple Bluetooth enabled transmitter. I could even use my iPhone to drive a conventional pair of earbuds.

Wait a minute! Bluetooth, Shmootooth! I have an old FM transmitter and a transistor radio. Problem solved! Now I have a project. Find that transmitter!

Maybe I can watch Craig Ferguson after all! Thanks! :D