Every night, millions of people drift to sleep watching a man in a suit tell jokes for ten minutes, sitting behind a desk, and interviewing celebrities. The Late Night Talk Show is a uniquely rigid format that has dominated TV for 60 years.
The King: Johnny Carson
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962-1992) set the standard. Carson was the cooler-than-cool midwesterner who invited America into his living room. Getting invited to the couch by Johnny was the "make or break" moment for any young comedian. He established the monologue as the national water cooler—summarizing the day's news with a punchline.
The Letterman Disruption
David Letterman deconstructed the format. He mocked the show itself. He threw watermelons off roofs. He wore velcro suits. He made the host a cranky, detached observer rather than a smooth showman. This irony paved the way for modern Internet humor.
The Daily Show Effect
Jon Stewart changed Late Night from entertainment to information. The Daily Show became the primary news source for a generation. Stewart (and later Stephen Colbert) proved that Late Night could be intellectually rigorous and politically impactful.
The Viral Era: Fallon & Corden
Today, hosts like Jimmy Fallon and James Corden design their shows not just for TV, but for YouTube. They play "Lip Sync Battle" and "Carpool Karaoke"—games designed to go viral in 3-minute clips. The monologue still exists, but the "Shareable Moment" is now King.