It is no doubt that Johnny Carson is the best and coolest late night show host, which is something I'm not disputing. However, there are people who insist late night hosts nowadays are crap, which is debatable. Different times, different generations, different tastes, all of them appeal to different people.

Who is your favorite late night show host and why? Former and current hosts can apply.

Conan.

Colbert, on the Colbert Report.

Pete Holmes was really good too, imho.

Too young for Carson or the like. Jay Leno fucking sucked, Jimmy Fallon sucks, that nerdlinger that follows him sucks, don't care for Corban or whatever. I don't much care for Colbert as a serious host either.

John Oliver is good, so is Samantha Bee. But yeah, Conan the best.

edit, forgot Jimmy Kimmel. He's good, too. His skits and promos are better than his show though, imho.

John Oliver beats the, all Nd I don't see his name here. Unlike all the other hosts who go after trendy topics day in and day out he talks about real issues and has at times caused people to rise up and do something about shitty situations they weren't even aware was so shitty at all. He highlights refined issues in the society unlike regurgitating what everyone else is saying. He also gives the middle finger to ass hats who think they are above it all like the coal miners the NBA etc. He informs and entertains and has a lot of nuance in what he does plus his description of countries and personalities is just hilarious. He has his own unique style which is always refreshing. I mean I'm not going to get tired of him or Conan but the rest are getting sort of repetitive with the Drumpf stuff the quantity is increasing but the quality is just not there. Drumpf has made them all lazy

What's the name of the British guy who used to be the boss on the Drew Caray show? That's the only late night show I seldomly turned into since I liked the guy's comedy.

Old school Letterman. Old school Conan. Never, never Leno. I picked Colbert because he's such an knowledgeable geek and isn't afraid to let it loose and he speaks from his heart regularly. But Carson, Carson is late night. He was who I grew up. He'd certainly be number two.

I agree...John Oliver is a beast.  His shows are both educational and hilarious.  I was hoping to find him on this list as well, but I took it to mean they were just focused on late night hosts in the traditional vein of hosting where you bring on celebrities/musical guests, etc.

I haven't seen many, but the ones I have seen I'd say Jon Stewart easily takes the cake. Colbert was nice in his Report but he absolutely sucks ass in the Late Show. The format just doesn't suit him.

Since Jon and Stephen are basically dead now I have to turn to John Oliver, though I don't know if I can call his show legally Late Night.

That's Craig Ferguson, if I'm correct. I've discovered his Late Late Show videos way too late, unfortunately. His way of doing the show was so unpredictable, but he turned out to be really hilarious. His LLS was so different, and I really ended up liking it.

Letterman is my most favorite ever. Colbert, is my favorite, of those currently on the air.

Dammit, I knew I forgot to add someone on the list. Even if it's a weekly show, John Oliver really deserves a mention here because of taking the existing formula and changing it to talk about the worrying topics from the week.