Being a late night TV host is not quite what it used to be. Entertainers like Johnny Carson and David Letterman gave viewers all over the country a reason to stay up past their bedtime with droll commentary on current events and friendly banter with celebrities. Now, most audiences check in on the likes of Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, or Jimmy Kimmel the day after on YouTube.
The question is, which of our current late night TV hosts is the most deserving of our attention, either at the time of broadcast or the morning after, for their sense of humor, personability, and even credibility? Well, I certainly have my opinions of how today’s night owl emcees measure up against each other and the following is how I have ranked them from my favorite to my least favorite.
9. Bill Maher (Real Time)
Bill Maher has been telling jokes for 40 years, which makes me wonder if he has a friendlier disposition performing stand-up than as a talk show host, but I may never find out because I have no interest in seeking out his specials. As the host of Politically Correct from 1993-2002 on Comedy Central and ABC and, currently, HBO’s Real Time since 2003, the comedian discusses various topics on the political spectrum with a versatile group of guests weekly, incorporating his staunch viewpoints at a satirical angle. I cannot help but question if Maher understands the difference between satire and insult as his comedic style nowadays feels less funny and more meanspirited.
Some notable examples include criticizing adult comic book fans mourning the death of Stan Lee in a blog post or poking fun at travel blogging as a profession in response to influencer Gabi Petito’s murder in a Real Time segment from October 2021. He could not have picked more unnecessary topics to judge at more inappropriate times and in less funny ways. I hope HBO would get real and cut Maher’s time short but they will more than likely keep him on for as long as he makes headlines.
8. Jimmy Fallon (The Tonight Show)
Former SNL cast member (who was hired quite young at 24) and “Weekend Update” host Jimmy Fallon got his first taste at late night glory as a guest host for David Letterman on Late Show in 2003. He would go on to succeed Conan O’Brien’s position on NBC’s Late Night five years later and, eventually, earn the top prize when he took over The Tonight Show in 2014. His unique hosting persona is given away in the show’s current official title: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – implying that he is not just “with” the show, but is its bonafide star, participating in live bits with celebrity guests and constantly proving himself as a committed showman.
The one reason I have for ranking Fallon so low on this list is, for as great an entertainer as he has proven to be, his interviewing skills still lack one important ingredient: authenticity. With every overstated laugh and incredulous compliment, he seems to spend more time being a people pleaser than really getting down to the nitty-gritty with his guests. Sometimes I’d rather he just stop asking questions (and interrupting his guests’ answers on occasion) and stick to singing, dancing, and playing games.
7. Andy Cohen (Watch What Happens Live)
Andy Cohen is a TV personality who has never had a problem staying authentic and often tries to hold his guests to the same standard. This can often be to his detriment and leads to many awkward celebrity interactions – even outside of his show, such as his supposed feud with Ryan Seacrest – but that’s about the only negative thing I would say about the St. Louis native.
Otherwise, it is no wonder why Watch What Happens Live has lasted more than a decade – debuting on Bravo in 2009 as a weekend event before being rebranded as a nightly show – and how Cohen has managed to stay so busy wearing multiple hats on TV. His intimate hosting style, which involves not hiding behind a desk, always keeps things interesting and his charming presence is hard to resist.
6. Taylor Tomlinson (After Midnight)
When James Corden announced that he was retiring, I envisioned who would be a good choice to fill in as host of The Late Late Show. Looking back, I wish I had thought of Taylor Tomlinson because, as soon as it was confirmed she would take over CBS’s 12:30 a.m. timeslot, I knew the comedian was a perfect choice to host After Midnight.
Tomlinson’s program is not a talk show (except for one five-minute segment) and is a sort of game show based on Comedy Central’s @midnight, in which comedians are awarded points for the funniest responses to questions and challenges inspired by internet culture. Tomlinson – in addition to being both the only current female late night host and the youngest of the bunch at 30 – does an effortless job at the gig, delivering her opening monologue with a gusto that most veterans rarely achieve and managing the nightly chaos without pause. Hopefully, After Midnight lasts longer than @midnight did and perhaps it will as long as she is the emcee.
5. Seth Meyers (Late Night)
Following one of the longest SNL tenures on record – during which he also served as a strong head writer and solo “Weekend Update” host – Seth Meyers seemed like a perfect fit to replace Jimmy Fallon on Late Night. Indeed, he has the interviewing chops Fallon lacks, but, admittedly lacks the showmanship his predecessor boasts, and I recall seeing him struggle to get into a rhythm that helped him stand out and utilize his skill set to its full potential.
He would later combat the struggle to transition from satirical news reading on SNL to juggling traditional hosting duties on Late Night by swerving into that skid and, more or less, making that the basis of the show. As a result, he's done away with opening stand up monologues altogether and incorporated his signature satire into bits, most often, from behind the desk, throwing in a few lighthearted sketches here and there – such as day drinking with celebrities in pre-taped bits. Meyers is the same guy he was when he was at SNL, but that may be just how it should be.
4. Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live)
Of the late night “Jims,” I feel most partial to Kimmel, being the kind of host you would love to be a guest for, or even just grab a beer with. He has certainly come a long way from his time as Adam Corolla’s co-host for Comedy Central’s The Man Show – a program which he would probably be one to criticize today – since debuting Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2003.
His signature snark and everyman relatability has lent itself to some of late night’s most amusing interviews and hilarious moments, with one of the funniest bits being his increasingly furious feud with Matt Damon. What started as an impromptu throwaway joke from Kimmel’s early days on ABC has evolved into a recurring segment – including one instance in which the Academy Award winner took over the show – with a surprising endurance that has even left the host himself amazed. It is one of the most celebrated traditions in late night and cemented Kimmel as one of the strongest in the game.
3. John Oliver (Last Week Tonight)
The Daily Show has proven to be a consistently fertile breeding ground for comedic talent, but one of the best to make the transition from social satire to… well, more social satire, is John Oliver. The British comedian and one-time Community cast member first showed that he had what it takes to be the man behind the desk as a temporary fill-in on The Daily Show while Jon Stewart was out directing a film.
As the host of Last Week Tonight on HBO, Oliver touches on everything from entertainment to politics with a refreshingly light and accessible tone that, no matter how dark the subject material can get, never fails to be entertaining. What is his secret? Other than his clever wit or personable tone, I think it might be the accent.
2. Stephen Colbert (Late Show)
However, I think there are few who would disagree that the greatest post-Daily Show success story (at least, in the world of late night TV) is that of Stephen Colbert, who played an over-the-top conservative version of himself on the Comedy Central juggernaut and its spinoff, The Colbert Report, for years. When he retired the character to succeed David Letterman as host of CBS’ Late Show on September 8, 2015, that is the day we met the real Colbert.
While he still incorporates a political angle into Late Show quite frequently – even allowing the topic to become the central point of an entire episode and dominate some guest interviews – he is best when he is just being himself. You can tell how much he has a blast talking with Hollywood’s greatest stars, starring in sketches that look as much fun to put on as they are to watch, and never letting down his reserved, well-spoken tone. After nearly a decade at the Ed Sullivan Theatre, Colbert has made the job look easy by doing it better than (almost) anyone else at the moment.
1. Jon Stewart (The Daily Show)
While Trevor Noah proved to be a fantastic successor, when Jon Stewart left The Daily Show in 2015, it really felt like the end of the political satire in its most essential form. Luckily, we would only have to wait a little less than a decade to see him come back home.
At the moment, Stewart only appears once a week, amid a rotation of guest hosts filling in the remaining days, and his return might not last beyond the 2024 Presidential Election. However, his appearances so far have been a fruitful reminder of why his equally witty and boldly insightful commentary made him one of broadcasting’s most trusted faces, despite being on a comedy network. For as long as we have him back, I believe he deserves to stand at the top of my list.
Even with Jon Stewart back at The Daily Show and a refreshing newcomer like Taylor Tomlinson delivering viral laughs on After Midnight, the world of late night is still a much different place than it used to be and there is plenty of room for improvement. However, I am excited to see where things go and who else might join the ranks one day.
