Late night television in the United States

Late night television in the United States is the block of television programming airing after 11:00 p.m. and usually through 2:00 a.m. Traditionally, this type of programming airs after the late local news and is most notable for being the daypart used for a particular genre of programming that falls somewhere between a variety show and a talk show.

Popular shows within the late night talk show genre include The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Late Late Show with James Corden, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Conan. Famous former hosts include Johnny Carson of The Tonight Show, Jay Leno of The Tonight Show (who has taped more episodes than any other late night host), Arsenio Hall of The Arsenio Hall Show, Tom Snyder of Tomorrow, and The Late Late Show, Steve Allen, the father of the late night talk show and founder of Tonight (now known as "The Tonight Show"), Merv Griffin and Dick Cavett, early competitors with Carson, and Jack Paar, the man who followed Steve Allen as host of the Tonight Show and who is responsible for setting the standards for the genre.

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