The current state of Late Night TV

[BMWCCA]

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:

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."

[Delawheredad]

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.

[Plitron]

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.

[2DualsNotEnough]

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

[electronjohn]

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

[Andyman]

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

[CarlV]

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


Carl

[Tom Brennan]

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.

[rsfmotoman]

Originally Posted by 2DualsNotEnough

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

He and Conan are my favorites.

[OvenMaster]

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.

[Plitron]

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.

[WhiteSE]

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

[BOUXY]

Originally Posted by rockin1150

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.............

[BOUXY]

Originally Posted by Plitron

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.

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

[qboneus]

Originally Posted by 2DualsNotEnough

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

+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