5 Late Night Runs That Ended Too Soon & 5 That Lasted Too Long

5 Late-Night Runs That Ended Too Soon & 5 That Went Too Long

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the five hosts that should’ve stayed in late night and the five who overstayed their welcome.

#5 Too Soon: Stephen Colbert

Making a name for himself on “The Colbert Report,” Stephen Colbert has been a fixture on TV for years. His Comedy Central role took a jab at conservative media, with Colbert playing up the comic persona that he honed on “The Daily Show.” He then dropped the character and joined “The Late Show” as a successor to David Letterman. The presenter had big shoes to fill, but he made the gig his own in a fun follow up for late-night fans. His network gig further explored the line between absurd comedy and political commentary. To the shock of viewers everywhere, CBS announced Colbert’s show would end prematurely in 2026. The company cited financial concerns, but plenty of other people think it’s politically motivated.

#5 Too Long: Chevy Chase

Starting with the first season of “Saturday Night Live,” Chevy Chase became a comedic powerhouse almost overnight. He then left for a movie career of both successes and failures. Venturing back into TV, Chase attempted to become a Johnny Carson clone with his own talk program in 1993. His show revealed that he’s much better on “Weekend Update” than as a normal presenter. Wearing a suit and trying to chat up guests, the comedian looked stifled by the concept and out of his element. “The Chevy Chase Show” didn’t make it past 29 episodes on the Fox network. With all the talk about his personal behavior, the actor’s post-talk show career and overall reputation remain contentious.

#4 Too Soon: Taylor Tomlinson

The show “@midnight” with Chris Hardwick transformed the late-night format into a game. Several years later, Taylor Tomlinson hosted a reboot called “After Midnight.” It allowed for various comedians to talk about pop culture and make fun of the headlines. Tomlinson had a bubbly nature and a quick wit that mashed well with the guests. The show appeared in 2024 and only lasted until 2025. It then went the way of many promising ventures, closing up shop before reaching its fullest potential. Here’s hoping Tomlinson gets another chance to shine outside of her comedy specials.

#4 Too Long: Craig Kilborn

For those that remember Craig Kilborn, they might consider him to be the host of any number of shows. His time at “SportsCenter” pre-dated a gig at “The Daily Show” before Jon Stewart took over the latter program. He later hosted “The Late Late Show” before Craig Ferguson’s run. In each case, he did a fine job but was arguably outmatched by his successor. His subtle, dry humor worked in some cases and fell flat in others. You could call his late-night stints fun footnotes, or just a way of keeping the seat warm for other performers. Kilborn might’ve made an impact on his own terms, but other entertainers seemed destined to replace him.

#3 Too Soon: Arsenio Hall

In a field of mostly white men, Arsenio Hall provided a new voice on late-night TV. He emerged in the 1980s as an important and funny addition to a stale formula. He had a much different style than Johnny Carson on “The Tonight Show,” creating a party atmosphere with a wide array of celebrities, musicians, and athletes. His show is still referenced as culturally significant and full of unforgettable moments such as Bill Clinton playing the saxophone. While the comedian had a brief revival of the talk show, it didn’t stick around for long. Hall’s larger legacy makes it seem like he was on TV for much longer.

#3 Too Long: Johnny Carson

Johnny Carson is a legend, essentially reigning as the favorite late-night host for three decades. He also ran the risk of sticking around for too long. It might be controversial to say, but Carson likely overstayed his welcome in a changing comedy landscape. He ended his career as acts like David Letterman and Arsenio Hall were becoming more popular. On “Saturday Night Live,” he also became a punchline thanks to Dana Carvey’s impression. The host bid a fond farewell to TV audiences in 1992. Paving the way for countless imitators, he likely realized he was playing a younger man’s game. This doesn’t negate his extraordinary influence on the genre.

#2 Too Soon: Craig Ferguson

He might have not had the success of Leno or Letterman, but Craig Ferguson carved out his own piece of the late-night pie. He grew a cult viewership through years of standing out as an interviewer and wacky host. Ferguson’s style only blossomed over time, with a robot skeleton and a fake horse eventually joining him on the show. Not only that, several moments of his career involved raw and moving discussions of serious issues. He won a Peabody for his work on “The Late Late Show” and his departure in 2014 disappointed many adoring fans. While he’s gone on to other work, his CBS show remains the stuff of legend and can be found all over YouTube.

#2 Too Long: James Corden

When he first started at “The Late Late show” in 2015, James Corden brought a bright and sunny energy to his hosting gig. He made a name for himself with content such as “Carpool Karaoke” and musicals on crosswalks. While he certainly went viral, he might’ve spread himself too thin with all of his comedy bits. News stories also suggested that Corden might’ve been a mean guy off camera. The comedian later parted ways with CBS in 2023, but it’s uncertain how much longer the show would’ve gone. He’s likely another case of someone you either love or love to ignore.

#1 Too Soon: Conan O’Brien

Even though he started hosting back in 1993, Conan O’Brien stays relevant with youthful audiences. He acquired multiple generations of fans through his late-night shows. The fiasco with “The Tonight Show” earned him a folk-hero-like status as many believed he was wrongly mistreated by NBC. His stint at TBS let him play around with the format even more. The “Conan” show wrapped up in 2021, but a podcast and a travel program let him expand his comedy reach. The host continues to win over viewers as a multi-year Oscar presenter. As one of the more loved members of the late-night community, O’Brien would be welcomed by audiences in any medium.

#1 Too Long: Jay Leno

Taking over for Johnny Carson, Jay Leno became “The Tonight Show” host in the early 1990s. He developed a rivalry with David Letterman and his future dust-up with Conan O’Brien didn’t sit well with viewers either. On the air, his non-confrontational style worked well enough to keep his ratings up. Alternative audiences and younger fans might’ve disagreed, but this comedian offered up effective material that played well to middle America. Watching back old clips, you might be hit by how ordinary it all seems. It only made things worse that he chose to stay on TV and participate in the media debacle at NBC in the 2010s. Despite his proficiency in the genre, Leno should’ve stepped aside long before he left late-night.

Did we forget your favorite late-night host? Let us know in the comments below.