The Friday Link for 3/6/15

I'm on the record as saying we'll look back on the stretch of time from 2010 to 2014 as the Golden Age of Late Night television.  Seven of the 8 (or 9 if you count Meyers) regular show hosts during that stretch were iconic.

On CBS you had David Letterman as the host of the Late Show (quick side note: how many years was Letterman the only consistent laugh on any given night?  During the five year stretch I mentioned above, he was almost forgotten at times), and although he has weathered, he is still good for a few chuckles every show.  A very underrated Craig Ferguson hosted the later show, the Late Late Show, bringing a charismatic Scottish wit to the American shores.

On ABC, Jimmy Kimmel made me ask the question of what was he ever doing slumming it on The Man Show?  He's the best LA host on TV right now, and I love his current war with the anti-vaxxers.

On Comedy Central, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert had been drawing a bigger and bigger audience since 2006, and by 2010, they were in prime form, a fearsome duo who presented late night talk shows with a different format, making cable TV at 10 PM a viable option for late night viewing.

On NBC, Jimmy Fallon was in his mid-30's hosting Late Night, and biding his time until he would take over the Tonight Show early in 2014.  Jay Leno was the only dud in late night TV during that stretch(in my opinion), a unfunny, washed up host who was doing more bad than good in the once gold standard chair.  Fallon has reminded us at how good the Tonight Show can be since he took it over.  Seth Meyers who took over Late Night is learning, and will eventually work out the kinks.

Then there is Conan.  Conan O'Brien was promoted from Late Night to take over The Tonight Show, and was unceremoniously dumped in early 2010 when Jay Leno decided after he left that he wanted the Tonight Show back (NBC should have never let him return).  He eventually landed at TBS and has been his hilarious self ever since.  I think he gets too goofy at times, but he is so quick with his spontaneous jokes.  On nights I was able to stay up, I flipped between shows constantly.

Conan also understands the culture of the generations that have come after him.  He embraces new and upcoming talent better than any other host on television, and almost acts as an introductory course in modern culture for the older generation.  One of my favorite things he has done is Clueless Gamer, where he plays video games and then reviews them.  Warning, some of the games he reviews have extreme violent content (Super Bowl edition), but this one I'm linking to tonight is one of my favorites, the WWE 2K14 wrestling video game.  When he creates his own character, I was in tears.

Remember Conan would have been the Tonight Show host today if not for Leno's greediness, but as opposed to become a footnote in history, he has made lemonade out of lemons.  I can't wait to watch his Cuban special.  Enjoy the link!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CD7Afs6OxnY