Renewed Top 10 - Comedians As Talk Show Hosts

Talk Shows. A staple of Talk Shows is the funny host that comes out and delivers that monologue, and offers levity in the interviews.

I'm going to preface this with... I don't know how many of these Talk Show Hosts have had separate Stand-Up Careers... at least before I started researching these hosts. So... this list is FULLY based on how I like these Comedians as Hosts.

So... let's get into it.

Top 10 Comedians As Talk Show Hosts

Here we go...

Special Mention: Johnny Carson: Johnny Carson is THE legend. But honestly, I didn't get much exposure to him until much later with reruns, and commericals of his run on the Tonight Show. I know he is legendary. I just didn't live in that era.

Honorable Mention 1: Jay Leno: The Squeaky Voiced Jay Leno. I admit... I have issues with how he got the Tonight Show over Letterman... and with how he screw Conan out of the Tonight Show. But... Headlines was one of my favorite bits. Glad... only on Monday.

Honorable Mention 2: Jimmy Kimmel: So... Jimmy Kimmel has always been... "funny". Co-Host of the Man Show, he was the better of the 2(the other being Adam Carolla). And then co-hosting Win Ben Stein's Money... I didn't know how Kimmel would work out on his own. And he has proven that he CAN do it. Too bad he has 2 BETTER shows to contend with in that time slot.

10. Jimmy Fallon: Speaking of Time Slot. Jimmy Fallon. A stand out from SNL, he got the job AFTER Conan/Jay. And eventually got the Tonight Show. And... while I loved him for so long, his show has gotten... bland. The games are still great, but the interviews are not. The monologue is lacking. But... status quo is still pretty good.

9. Craig Ferguson: Over 2000 Episodes of the Late Late Show... and he got away with plenty of innuendo. If there was ever a Late Night host that could command a crowd without effort. And... that Scottish accent just made everything else funny.

8. Dennis Miller: SNL Alum that has Weekend Update. What if he turned that into a show? That is what HBO did for him in the 90s, and dammit, if it wasn't good. I don't always agree with his politics, but you could tell he was smart with his opening monologue. Dammit... he was so good.

7. John Oliver: One of "Stewart's Kids". The Brit who is now a US Citizen. And he went from being a part of the Daily Show to hosting his own show on HBO called "Last Week Tonight". Instead of a nightly show, he covers the previous week on Sunday. And... of all the talk shows HBO has ever come up with, this is the best. John Oliver has an even brighter future ahead of him.

6. George Lopez: TBS featured this Latin sensation on his own Talk Show. And... airing after Midnight... he was able to break so many late night TV tropes. Everything I said about Craig Ferguson applies here, except for the Scottish Accent. Lopez is a phenomenal stand up... and it showed through.

5. Conan O'Brien: Conan. So funny... funny enough to graduate from Late Night to the Tonight Show. Funny enough to make Jay Leno jealous. Funny enough for TBS. And he caught fire a SECOND time. Team CoCo!!!

4. Graham Norton: Graham Norton had a decently successful Talk Show in the states, but back home, on the BBC, changed the game. Instead of what feels like interviews, all the guests sit on the same couch, and it feels like a conversation. And... it is pretty damn cool. Must be a Brit thing, because James Corden brough that over when it took over the Late Late Show.

3. Stephen Colbert: Another of "Stewart's Kids". Originally a member of the Second City Troupe, he had bits every now and then on SNL(did you know Colbert and Carell voiced Ace & Gary in the Ambiguously Gay Duo cartoons?). He joined the Daily Show as a correspondent... eventually getting his own show called "The Colbert Report", where he played satirical fake Conservative doing the news. And... it was SO GOOD enough that when David Letterman retired, Colbert got the job. And... he deserved it. And he changed the tired game/format. For so long... 1 main guest, 1 secondary guest, 1 famous music act. Colbert... sometimes he will only have 1 guest and then music. Sometimes, 2 guests and no music. Sometimes, only music. And... it doesn't have to be mainstream music. The night he had the Legend of Zelda Orchestra as the music guests, I knew we had something different brewing. And... Fallon might have a Grammy winning band... but Colbert has a Oscar winning band leader. Take that, Fallon!

2. David Letterman: Speaking of David Letterman, here is the reason that I only watched Leno on Monday. David Letterman was my Late Night host growing up. Solid monologue, the Top Ten Lists(meta here), and not afraid of messing with his guests, not afraid of tackling them head on. The Crispin Freeman incident, Lawyer slapping Kaufman, Drew Barrymore flashing Dave on TV, the infamous Joaquin Phoenix interview, and making the post prison Paris Hilton about Prison when she apparently she was told it wouldn't be that way. Funnier than Leno. Presentation better than Leno. And... a Native Hoosier!

And the Number 1 Talk Show Host Comedian is...

1. Jon Stewart: I mentioned "Stewart's Kids" a couple of times. Well, here is why. Jon Stewart and The Daily Show was the closest to news I ever wanted to get to. And... Jon Stewart was the ever present professional. Yes, it was a comedy show. But when he needed to be funny, he was. When he needed to be serious, he was. When he needed to be sincere, he was. And even though, I know he is liberal, he didn't hold back against either side. He burned both sides when it deserved. Now... what about Stewart's Kids? Steven Colbert, Steve Carell, Samantha Bee, John Oliver, Wyatt Cenac, Rob Riggle, Ed Helms, Rob Corddry, Al Madrigal, Mo Rocca, Jason Jones, even current Daily Show host Trevor Noah. All... students of Jon Stewart. No matter what they did before The Daily Show, I fully believe their time with Jon Stewart made them better. Some went on to host their own shows, Ed Helms became a big movie star. Steve Carell... well... you know who Steve Carell. Mo Rocca is even the host of CBS Sunday Morning. Jon Stewart wasn't just an era's "Funny News Guy"... he fostered an era of humor.

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What do you think? Anyone I missed? What do you think of Talk Shows hosted by comedians?

Did I miss any?

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Until next time...

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