Tuesday Apr 22, 2025

Talk to Me (Part 1): The History of Late Night Talk Shows

Which late-night talk show hosts have kept YOU company during the wee hours? 

Chances are, there’ve been several because the history of late night talk shows extends back more than 70 years… and is the subject of this fascinating Part 1 episode!

What woman holds the distinction of being the very first late night talk show host? Who established trademark features of the genre, like the opening monologue, comedy bits, and host’s desk? What “Tonight Show” host quit and walked off during a show? How did Johnny Carson help launch the careers of numerous comedians, including Dave Letterman and Jay Leno? And what incident resulted in Joan Rivers being banned from NBC late night for decades?

Talk about a fun episode! Find (and subscribe to!) the show on your favorite podcast app or the Scandal Water Podcast Youtube channel. 

Thank you to listener Gina for her top-of-the-episode shout out!

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#TheTonightShow #JohnnyCarson #JackParr #SteveAllen #FayeEmerson #JoanRivers #DavidLetterman #JayLeno #CraigFerguson #TalkShows #TalktoMe #Podcasting

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