Who would you like to see hosting the Tonight Show?

[Hugabear]

IMHO, it's time to get some fresh new talent in there. I really have no use for Leno anymore. I like Conan, but he was better in his later slot - he seemed to lose some of his edginess when he moved to the more mainstream slot. Ditto for Letterman - brilliant when he was hosting the Late Night show; still good after moving to CBS, but not quite as edgy.

Just curious to see who DUers might enjoy seeing hosting the Tonight Show. Someone like Jerry Seinfeld? Or perhaps Jon Stewart? Some rising comedian?

[cherokeeprogressive]

1. Johnny Carson n/t

[LuvNewcastle]

2. Chris Rock

[alp227]

5. ditto. k&r

[alp227]

3. Seinfeld? I've imagined that before. haha.

Or maybe Dave Chappelle can get back on the tube on the Tonight Show.

[Common Sense Party]

4. Conan O'Brien.

He didn't lose any edginess by moving to the Tonight Show. He and Andy are the funniest things on late-night, and NBC is full of idiots for screwing this up.

[alp227]

6. I'm with Coco too.

[Electric Monk]

7. JD Salinger

(even funnier if you saw TDSWJS tonight)

[Hekate]

8. Johnny Carson. Topical, funny, generous to young talent, never mean. nt

[Hugabear]

10. Pretty sure he's still dead, but even his corpse would be better than Jawface

I get what you're saying though - I don't think anyone will ever truly be able to replace him. At least, nobody that's currently on the scene.

[Hekate]

17. The only one who actually makes me laugh is Craig Ferguson, strangely...

I'll occasionally watch him for like 10 or 15 minutes wondering why I'm up so late, when all of a sudden I about bust a gut laughing.

I could go for some reliable political humor --especially I could have used it from 2000 to 2009! but I will take Craig Ferguson with his Scots burr over either Leno or O'Brian. Wouldn't want to move him to another slot, though -- I don't know how well he'd "translate", especially when he tells the audience at home to "relax! take off yer pants!"

Hekate

edited to add: I just looked up his bio at the CBS site, and have decided he'd do well wherever and whenever

[JVS]

9. Arsenio Hall!

[csziggy]

12. Actually I could watch him! What is he doing these days?

[csziggy]

11. It has nust not been the same since Jack Paar left.....

Carson was OK but he was no Jack Paar.

[Hekate]

19. Well, true. And the little guy (ack, what's his name) who was so intelligent.

I like that, but mostly I think the CEOs are looking for a different demographic than I represent.

Hekate

edit: Just remembered: Dick Cavett!

[csziggy]

22. Dick Cavett is still around - he has a blog these days

But yeah - I am sure the CEOs want a younger audience and so a younger host. Probably someone who could text or tweet while interviewing.

[Juche]

13. Patton Oswalt

It'd never happen, but I'd watch it.

[Randall Flagg]

Craig Ferguson

Funniest guy on late night bar none.

[The_Casual_Observer]

14. Some new guy that nobody has ever heard of. Somebody new for a change.

Aren't you as tired of these same 20 or so bastards that get all the work as I am?

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

15. I'd like to see an hour of static cut with images of screaming puppets and crying children.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2h5ym6ZlVY

It'd be a lot better than Leno.

[Hugabear]

16. If he wasn't in the Senate, how about Al Franken?

He's pretty funny, always made me laugh on SNL with his "Deep Thoughts" segment. I'm sure he'd be a hell of an interviewer as well.

[fishwax]

18. No matter who hosts, I'll likely be watching the Colbert Report instead

:)

[Hekate]

20. Jon Stewart's The Daily Show is what I'd like to see get wider viewing...

... but given how stupid the networks are these days, maybe he's a lot better off and safer where he is on cable.

Hekate

[regnaD kciN]

21. Leno

I know I'm going against the current, but Jay was the top-rated late-night host for years, all the way to his final appearance last year. He was only pushed out by O'Brien's power-play stunt of "promise me the Tonight Show, or I go to another network" during contract negotiations in 2004. Once O'Brien took over, and before Leno's 10 P.M. show began, his version of the Tonight Show dropped from first to third place in the ratings. Despite the poor-me-I'm-the-victim routine played by Conan, it is obvious that he and the Tonight Show weren't a good match. Better to return the Tonight Show to the host who has always had a succees with it, and let O'Brien have his own, edgier show on Fox.

[Golden Raisin]

23. Jack Paar.

Among the living: Adam Ferrara.

[Curtland1015]

24. Still Conan. I've always hated Leno.

But barring either... uh... Mr.T?

[Tabasco_Dave]

25. Graham Norton

Used to watch him on BBC America when i had Directv. Unfortunately NBC probably wouldn't have an open gay, host the Tonight Show and if they did hire him, they would censor him to death.

[Randall Flagg]

26. Gawd, he was great!

I used to watch him in the 70's...

I didn't know he was gay. I just thought he was funny. That's all I cared about.

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[elleng]

28. Dick Cabbage

[Enthusiast]

29. Leno is alright but

I've always preferred Conan. I suspect if NBC wouldn't have started the 10:00 Leno show Conan's show would have been a success.

Also they tried to change Conan's show too much. I was really surprised and disappointed when I watched his show for the first time as it just didn't have the appeal of his previous show.

[laststeamtrain]

30. Rupert Pupkin, Sammy Maudlin or someone Christopher Guest likes...

...changes on a week-to-week basis.

[dbt]

31. David Letterman.

It's his birthright.