<p>I grew up with Carson and sometimes watched Dick Cavett (who had the best musical guest ever, Sly & The Family Stone blowing out Everyday People and Sly, who went to Julliard, free rhyming his interview). Dick was good when the guests were good but he wasn’t the best entertainer as host so he couldn’t perk up the show on his own. </p>
<p>Johnny was amazing in the years he was engaged, but there was a stretch when it seemed he was just there. The best celebrity segment I ever saw was his with an apparently drunk Peter O’Toole. Peter came on with a lit cigarette, put it down and, being drunk, fumbled around for another. So Johnny politely lit that one while continuing to ask questions. Which seemed to distract Peter so he tried to light another cigarette while he had two others going and Johnny politely helped him with that one too. It was brilliant and hilarious. Johnny was a good listener. He was terrific with kids because he’d ask them questions and let them talk if they could and would help them if they couldn’t. </p>
<p>I loved David Letterman’s original late show, but never warmed to him at 11:30. If he wants to interact with the guest, he’s fine but much of the time it seems like he’d rather be somewhere else. He seemed energized after his revelation of his “very bad things” - which I happened to see by accident and only realized he wasn’t joking over half the way in as he detailed his conduct with women interns and an attempt to blackmail him. I have to say, however, that the stuff he did in the mid 90’s, particularly his mom at the Olympics in Norway, was exceptionally good TV.</p>
<p>I could see why Conan didn’t work at Tonight: he doesn’t listen very well. He tends to talk a lot and has a need to turn everything that happens into some shtick of his own. Two examples. Mel Brooks came on, brought his own chair and sat off to the side and took over and the interview was vintage because Mel was allowed to be Mel. But that was mostly because Mel is a force of nature. Dick van Dyke came on and Conan talked over him. Barely let him say a word. Terrible interview, like Conan couldn’t shut up and let the legend talk. </p>
<p>I’ve caught Jimmy Kimmel a few times. He’s sort of like David Letterman was. I’ve noticed he’s less natural at 11:30. Not sure why. I think people feel they need to play things more broadly for the larger potential audience. I think his strength is that he gets into the bit the guest has prepared. But when the bit isn’t one that works for him, I feel disengaged. That may be just my reaction to him.</p>
<p>I think Jay Leno is a good interviewer and is very good with reaction lines. One part I don’t like about the show is the bits, which they seem to work hard on, usually have no edge. Maybe they want the show to feel comfortable. He does have some good bits. Tonight they parodied the Rutgers BB coach with a “hidden” camera showing Jay abusing writers and throwing balls at them. The main problem is the guests often feel over-scripted. You know they’ve been prepped and set up and all that but they don’t stray from script. I wonder if that’s a style choice for the show, if that reflects Jay or what. He seems less comfortable with anarchy. I feel like he leads them through what’s been prepared and they fall in line. </p>
<p>Jimmy Fallon is closest to Johnny Carson in style. It sometimes feels like he’s overplaying his excitement but he lets his guests do their thing. I saw him last night with Tracy Morgan and he just let Tracy act nuts and fed him a few lines as soon as it became obvious this was happening. When the segment got out of hand, he let it go because that makes TV. When Andy Cohen was on, he talked with him like a buddy because that’s what they are, so the segment was completely different in feel. His show would not have worked in LA. I hope they do the smart thing and keep the nutty party games he obviously loves. </p>
<p>Of the other shows, I think Craig Ferguson is a terrific comedian. I will sometimes watch his opening because he’s funny. I don’t think of him as a talk show host.</p>
). I also don’t like how all of his political jokes were always one-sided - something that was obvious well before he ‘came out’.</p>