Top 10 Best TV Talk Show Hosts

1. Conan O'Brien

   

   Conan Christopher O'Brien is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, actor, and podcaster. He hosted several late-night talk shows, including Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, and Conan on TBS from 2010 to 2021. O'Brien also wrote for Saturday Night... read more

   Conan and Letterman have always been, for me, the best among all the hosts I've seen in my lifetime. Sure, some are funny too, but these two do not need any gimmicks to be funny.

   Conan is particularly entertaining when he is off doing things outside the studio, interacting with locals and celebrities. What makes Conan number one for me, with Dave being a close second, is his kindness and genuineness.

   He is my all-time favorite! Hilarious, makes his good friends do funny things, and great with animals.

2. Jimmy Kimmel

   

   James Christian "Jimmy" Kimmel is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is the host and executive producer of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, a late-night talk show that premiered on ABC in 2003. Kimmel hosted the Primetime Emmy Awards in 2012, 2016, and 2020, as well as the Academy Awards... read more

   He's the best! How is he not on the list? Come on, he's a genius! He's very classy and entertaining as well. He's better than Fallon.

   The most intelligent, relevant, empathetic, compassionate, wise, and quick-witted of them all! Absolutely love him!

   My dad watched him quite a bit, and when I started watching him, I liked it a lot!

3. David Letterman

   

   David Michael Letterman is an American former television and radio host, comedian, writer, producer, and actor. He is best known for hosting the late-night talk shows Late Night with David Letterman and Late Show with David Letterman. His television career also includes the Netflix interview series My... read more

   The first time I ever saw David Letterman was when Mariah Carey (the queen) appeared on the show in 1994. She brought in her new puppy and wanted David to come up with names for it. It was so adorable!

   No questions asked for me. I think in my era, Dave had to be the best talk show host I had ever watched.

   Who doesn't like this guy? He is absolutely fantastic and super funny.

4. Ellen DeGeneres

   

   Ellen Lee DeGeneres is an American comedian, television host, actress, writer, producer, and LGBT activist. She starred in the sitcom Ellen from 1994 to 1998 and hosted The Ellen DeGeneres Show from 2003 until 2022. DeGeneres has received multiple Emmy Awards and was awarded the Presidential Medal of... read more

   I have loved everything about Ellen Lee. She is the best in the world. Trust me when I say world best. I am a host as well, and she is good.

   She's awesome, and I watch her basically every single day!

   Hilarious! She deserves to be number one.

5. Jon Stewart

   

   Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz. November 28, 1962) is an American comedian, writer, producer, director, political commentator, actor, and television host.

   He was the long-running host of The Daily Show on Comedy Central from 1999 to 2015. Stewart returned to the satirical news program... read more

6. Jimmy Fallon

   

   James Thomas "Jimmy" Fallon is an American comedian, television host, actor, singer, writer, and producer. He is best known for hosting The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Before hosting his own late-night shows, he was a regular cast member on Saturday Night Live from 1998 to 2004.

   His wit, humor, and laugh are contagious, not to mention that he always manages to maintain political correctness.

   The most humble, authentic, inspirational, soulful, and best human being ever. He deserves to be the best!

   He's creative, clever, and funny!

7. Stephen Colbert

   

   Stephen Tyrone Colbert is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, media critic, and television host. He gained fame as a correspondent on The Daily Show and later hosted The Colbert Report. From 2015 to 2026, he hosted The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on CBS.

   He is by far my favorite, of course, besides Fallon, Kimmel, Myers, and Corden.

8. John Oliver

   

   John William Oliver is a British and American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He began his career as a stand-up comedian in the United Kingdom before gaining recognition in the United States. He is best known for hosting the HBO series Last Week Tonight... read more

   I always learn from him. Strikingly intelligent.

9. James Corden

   

   James Kimberley Corden OBE, born August 22, 1978, is an English actor, comedian, and television host. He hosted The Late Late Show with James Corden, a late-night talk show on CBS, from 2015 until 2023. Corden is also known for co-creating and starring in the British comedy series Gavin & Stacey.

   Jimmy Fallon has better games, but James Corden just has a better personality.

10. Johnny Carson

    

    John William "Johnny" Carson was an American television host, comedian, writer, producer, actor, and musician. He is best known for hosting "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson" for three decades. His unmatched ability to command an audience rightfully earned him six Emmy Awards and a shiny Presidential... read more

    Who is voting? Stephen Colbert over Johnny Carson? The man is nothing but a liberal hack, as are Jimmy Kimmel, David Letterman, and Jon Stewart. Stewart is the only somewhat funny one out of the bunch. Ellen is pretty good. She doesn't let her politics destroy her sense of humor. I agree that Conan is very good. I'd probably put him at number two, but Johnny Carson is without question the King of Late Night. You know how I know that? Because everyone on the list, including the ones I named, would agree with me.

    This man is a legend. Legends should be in the top ten without question.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Dame Edna Everage (AKA Barry Humphries)

    
12. ?

    Sherri Shepherd

The Contenders

13. Seth Meyers

    

    Seth Adam Meyers is an American comedian, writer, producer, actor, and television host. He hosts Late Night with Seth Meyers on NBC. Before that, he was a longtime Saturday Night Live cast member and head writer, best known for anchoring the Weekend Update segment.

    Kind, compassionate, and funny.

14. Oprah Winfrey

    

    Oprah Gail Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer, and philanthropist. She is best known for her talk show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, which ran from 1986 to 2011. She is also the founder of the Oprah Winfrey Network, or OWN, and has been a powerful influence in media... read more

    No one can do an interview quite like Oprah!

15. Howard Stern

    

    Howard Allan Stern is an American radio and television personality, producer, author, actor, and photographer. He is best known for his radio show, The Howard Stern Show, which gained national prominence after entering syndication in 1986. Stern has also published three books and served as a judge on... read more

    Brilliant, cutting edge, and compassionate.

    Pioneer. Brilliant and very humane.

16. Dick Cavett

    

17. Larry King

    

    Larry King (1933 to 2021) was an American television and radio host. Over his long career, he earned recognition with awards including two Peabody Awards and 10 CableACE Awards. King was known for his engaging interview style and broad influence on broadcasting.

18. Craig Ferguson

    

    Craig Ferguson is a Scottish-American television host, comedian, author, and actor. He hosted the syndicated game show Celebrity Name Game, for which he won two Daytime Emmy Awards. He also hosted Join or Die with Craig Ferguson on the History Channel and The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson on CBS... read more

    He was my favorite, and I miss him!

19. Steve Harvey

    

    Broderick Stephen Harvey, known professionally as Steve Harvey, is an American comedian, television host, producer, radio personality, actor, and author. He is best known for hosting The Steve Harvey Morning Show, Family Feud, and The Steve Harvey Show. Harvey has also written several self-help books... read more

20. Trevor Noah

    

    Trevor Noah (born 20 February 1984) is a South African comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actor, and television host. He hosted The Daily Show, an American late-night talk show and satirical news program on Comedy Central, from 2015 to 2022.... read more

21. Samantha Bee

    

    Samantha Bee is a Canadian-American comedian, writer, producer, political commentator, actress, media critic, and television host. She rose to prominence as a correspondent on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. In 2016, she launched her own late-night talk show, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee, which received... read more

    Caustic, intelligent, and quick-witted. Very underrated.

22. Anderson Cooper

    

    Anderson Hays Cooper is an American journalist, television personality, and author. He is best known as the anchor of CNN's news program Anderson Cooper 360°. Cooper has won numerous journalism awards and is known for his coverage of major global events and humanitarian crises.

23. Jay Leno

    

    James Douglas Muir Leno, known as Jay Leno, was born on April 28, 1950, and is an American comedian, writer, and television host. He became widely known as the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, which he hosted from 1992 to 2009 and again from 2010 to 2014. Leno also hosted The Jay Leno Show... read more

24. Dr. Phil McGraw

    

    Phillip Calvin "Phil" McGraw, known as Dr. Phil, is an American television personality and author who hosted the television show Dr. Phil. McGraw first gained fame with appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show in the late 1990s. His long-running daytime talk show offered advice on a wide range of personal... read more

25. Graham Norton

    

    Graham William Walker, better known by his stage name Graham Norton, is an Irish television and radio presenter, comedian, and actor based in the United Kingdom. He rose to prominence through television appearances in the 1990s and went on to host the long-running BBC One chat show The Graham Norton... read more

    Superb wit and repartee - and his guests really seem to enjoy themselves. At times, it's a little near the knuckle, but it's always funny.

    You may think he's a Brit, but he's just a damn funny Irish potater!

26. Eric Andre

    

    Even though Conan would be my vote for the best serious talk show host, The Eric Andre Show is one of the most brilliantly written pieces of satire of our generation.

27. Joy Behar