More important things than politics.

[Matt Deckard]

Tired of watching politics and round about tales of who is doing what for why and is it good. Time again for real TV!

I used to stay up to watch Letterman, then he got boring. I don't know what it was, maybe he became comically lazy after taking on CBS's Late Show. I know Carson was pretty good, and I was very young at the time yet I got the humor... While Carson ws on earlier Dave to me was funnier and more creative. Perhaps it was because he had to try harder to grab attention.

Now we have Leno stepping down (I'm pretty sure it's by authority of the network and not by Leno's choice). To be honest, the only thing I really liked about the show was the closing theme when Branford Marsalis had his amazing solo cap off the night. Unfortunately tat was only the first year.

A new Dawn


Conan is taking over the Tonight Show.
I think it will be more funny. We might even see Letterman step up his game to keep up to speed. I remember when Conan went into reruns on MSNBC for prime time hours. It just showed how masterful he was as his comedic craft, more a master than Leno.

So I say it's about time and long overdue... and Congratulations Conan!

 

[Foofoogal]

Dave had a son. Maybe that gave him a new perspective. lol Kids will sober you up fast.

 

[scotrace]

I like Leno up to a point. A car guy, etc. But beyond the reading from the viewer submitted weird newspaper clips he did every week, he just wasn't that entertaining or funny.
Nobody can touch Carson for having just the right late-night tone. Funny and not too much thinking before sleep.
I like Letterman still, and his suits.
Conan has huge energy and is funny. I hope it takes off.

The caveat is that I haven't watched late-night TV for ages. Thank goodness.

 

[LizzieMaine]

What always got me about Letterman was how much of his schtick he owed to Steve Allen, who was doing very much the same sort of self-referential slapstick goofing around twenty years before Dave ever stepped in front of the camera. For that matter, Allen was doing this type of material on radio when Dave was a toddler. So I never really thought it was all that innovative, even though it was definitely quite funny.

I couldn't stand O'Brien when he first started -- he reminded me of one of those smart-mouth kids in the back of study hall who wouldn't shut his yap while you were trying to do your algebra, and who wasn't half as funny as he seemed to think he was. I thought his stooge, Richter, was actually funnier. But Conan has improved with age. He's no Carson, but then, nobody today is -- it's a generational difference more than anything else.

I've never cared for Leno. He reminds me of late-in-life Bob Hope, reading contrived, obvious jokes off cue cards and running on reputation more than anything else.

 

[skyvue]

I'm still a Letterman man. Leno was a terrific stand-up comic back when he focused on that; I used to look forward to his appearances on Letterman. But he's an insipid talk show host.

He's not going away, btw. He'll have a new NBC prime-time talk show every night at 10pm eastern, which sort of cuts Conan off at the knees.

Conan's too clumsy for my taste. I like the writing on the show, but he's as awkward in front of the camera today as he was when the show first began.

I like Craig Ferguson, who follows Letterman, too, but I rarely stay up late enough to watch his whole show.

One might say that Letterman coasts at times (I don't agree, but that's okay), but he delivers memorable television moments better than any of the rest. I'll never forget the unscripted commentary he offered in his first show back after the events of 9/11/2001. It was riveting, stark, honest television; for all his clowning, he brings a genuineness and honesty to broadcasting that few can match.

 

[skyvue]

What always got me about Letterman was how much of his schtick he owed to Steve Allen, who was doing very much the same sort of self-referential slapstick goofing around twenty years before Dave ever stepped in front of the camera.

To his credit, Letterman always credited Allen; he never claimed he was doing anything new. And everyone who followed Letterman (including Leno) definitely borrowed a great deal from him, too. It's the nature of the biz.

 

[Big Man]

I liked Jack Parr when he was on. [huh]

 

[imoldfashioned]

Letterman is still my favorite of the "Big Three" late night hosts, even though I haven't faithfully watched him in over a decade. I was completely addicted to Late Night which really did owe a lot to Steve Allen. Some of those bits with Larry "Bud" Melman made me cry with laughter and I still watch his visit to Colleen Boyle from time to time. I think his tone changed a bit when he moved to the Late Show--maybe the dis by NBC affected him? I also graduated from college around that time and so had less time/inclincation to stay up that late.

Once I got settled and Jon Stewart started hosting The Daily Show I became addicted to that program. The Colbert Report just extended the joy. I don't watch Conan but he was very funny in the writer's strike feud with Stewart and Colbert. I've always disliked Leno, he has no edge at all in my opinion.

 

[Cricket]

So I say it's about time and long overdue... and Congratulations Conan!

I agree with you Matt. I have always had a thing for Conan. I found myself laughing without control while watching him. I had a thing for his off the wall skits. For some reason I love it when he did the car chases with the tiny cars and string around the studio. No clue..but thought it was genius.
Sadly, I don't get to watch him as much as I used to. After we had our first son, I started turning in around 10 p.m.
I know, I know....I am getting old.

 

[Classydame]

I like Craig Ferguson. He is self-deprecating and pretty intelligent. I like his interview also. Not much of a fan of Letterman or Leno and have only seen O'brien a couple of times but he seems to be pretty funny. I thought Johnny Carson was the best because he was subtle.

 

[just_me]

I still like Letterman the best. I think he's the funniest and also the most thoughtful. He isn't afraid to take on more serious topics and ask questions until he gets an answer and he's still goofy a lot of the time.

Leno was funnier doing standup.

Conan is definitely funny, but when I watch him regularly he gets boring because he has a handful of mannerisms that he uses over and over and over when he does his monologue.

I love Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert.

 

[dhermann1]

I still enjoy Dave, maybe not as much as I used to, but still enough. Of course I like Jon and Steven. One name that hasn't been brought up so far is Jimmy Kimmel. Can't watch him at all. Somehow I just can't buy him in a dark suit. He should still be wearing those Charlie Brown short sleeved shirts he wore on Ben Stein. But I still don't think I'd like him.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Frankly - I prefer politics!

Maybe too much "Jay Letterman O'brien" is the cause of our societal debacle. If we had that kind of interest in politics and political debate we wouldn't have allowed such a downward spiral. Perhaps we've made television comedy an escape from the responsibilities of a free people and are about to pay the price.

If you think I'm obtuse; I didn't watch the Superbowl either!

-dixon cannon

 

[Dixon Cannon]

I liked Jack Parr when he was on. [huh]

I much preferred Ernie Kovacs at the time. lol

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernie_Kovacs

-dixon cannon

 

[mike]

Frankly - I prefer politics!

Maybe too much "Jay Letterman O'brien" is the cause of our societal debacle. If we had that kind of interest in politics and political debate we wouldn't have allowed such a downward spiral. Perhaps we've made television comedy an escape from the responsibilities of a free people and are about to pay the price.

If you think I'm obtuse; I didn't watch the Superbowl either!

-dixon cannon

I completely agree. The world is in major upheaval. Our own singular perspectives and force fed media sources make it seem like the world is coming apart at the seams, even if history has shown that life bounces back time and time again.

A middle of the road mainstream comedian without any teeth (goes for all of them) doesn't really help me get to sleep.

I get the classic connection, but I feel like the lack of choices and uninspired rehashed situations are the equivalent of fast food.

 

[Barbigirl]

Late night TV

The caveat is that I haven't watched late-night TV for ages. Thank goodness.

Sleep is better anyway.

A long long time ago I used to love to watch Letterman and I worked a swing shift so it was on right when I got home. Loved the show, thought he was hilarious. Then when I changed shifts I tried recording in and watching in earlier in the day. I realized Letterman is mainly only funny to me when I am really really tired.

I remember when I was little and I would get up and my Mom would be watching Johnny Carson. She would say, "go to bed, it's the middle of the night" I always thought, "why are you up then?"

The little I saw of Carson I remember liking.

 

[dhermann1]

Kovacs and Paar were very different entities. I loved both of them. Kovacs was a strange visitor from another planet, Paar was you're interesting neurotic neighbor.

 

[Foofoogal]

I couldn't stand O'Brien when he first started -- he reminded me of one of those smart-mouth kids in the back of study hall who wouldn't shut his yap while you were trying to do your algebra, and who wasn't half as funny as he seemed to think he was.

Exactly my thinking on Conan. I cannot watch him. It is like chalk on a chalkboard for me.

I sort of have to like Dave as his birthday is the same as mine. lol April 12th.

Dixon, I may have to stalk you or at least know where you are in case of a meltdown or further meltdown anyway. We didn't watch the Superbowl either.

 

[Tomasso]

Television is the opiate of the masses.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Television is called a medium because it's rarely well done -- Fred Allen