The Wonderful World of Late Night Shows

Have you ever watched a late night show? Chances are, you have. And you know what? Once you seen one, you've seen them all.

They're a part of American history and culture, from today's Jimmy Kimmel, Conan O"Brien, and Seth Meyers, to back when David Letterman, Johnny Carson, and even back to Jack Parr ruled the late night television slot.

Haven't you noticed that they all have the same format? I guess though that it's because they wanted to stay with the original idea of what a late night show should be. So that it be a historic setup type of thing.

I actually like how sometimes they change things up with their different segments. For example how Jimmy Fallon will sometimes play games with his guests, or how Conan does remotes and makes fun of his Associate Producer Jordan Schlansky. But the fact is that the format of two guests and one music act/stand up act is forever stuck in my mind and I can't unlearn it. I don't care how many fun games or remotes they put in the shows, I'm still going to be unhappy when the music act comes on because I know he show is nearly over.

Just from that sentence alone, you can clearly see I have no life other than watching TV.

Now, I don't know if anyone else has ever noticed this before, but Jimmy Fallon's Tonight Show is the first incarnation of the Tonight Show to not have any plants on the set. Fun fact right there. It actually annoys me a little bit because it's different from what we're used to on these shows. After all I've said about all of these shows being the same...

A lot of my favourite bits have come from Dave Letterman to be honest, he truly has the funniest remotes. I'm unsure if they are scripted or just some spontaneous acting, but I really, really like them.

 

I was actually watching a rerun of the Late Show today and David Letterman was just about to do his infamous Top Ten list. Just before he started, Paul Shaffer says "Why are doing this again?" and Dave replies, "Oh...Just to kill some time."

Cue the audience laughter.

So, that made me wonder, do talk show hosts do these bits, purely for that reason? I'm sure they could get more guests if they wanted to, but then it could get a bit boring perhaps. Or is it because that's just how whoever wrote the first script for Steve Allen (Tonight Show, 1954) said it was to be and so that's how it's always been with every late night style show?

I find it quite interesting to think about this.

But anyway, I thought I would share with you a funny bit that I saw on a Late Show rerun the other day. If you want to watch click here! It is unbelievably stupid, but oh so funny.

You know what, upon looking for this clip just now, I have just realised that the official 'Late Show with David Letterman' YouTube channel NO LONGER EXISTS! I guess because the show has finished they got rid of it, but I mean, Johnny Carson even has an official YouTube Channel..?!What even?!

Also, just for fun, you should totally check out this clip of George Segal on the Tonight Show (1974) where he's trying to teach Johnny Carson how to play the ukulele. I can honestly say this must be the funniest thing I've ever seen on late night TV. It's hilarious.

Until Next Time...
Morgan ^^