Top 10 Funniest Late Night Talk Show Segments

Competent video game reviewing is a skill that is honed over time, and it’s one that Conan O’Brien clearly has no intention of mastering. But then, that’s the point of this segment. It’s a chance for experienced gamers and novices alike to learn about the latest releases through the eyes and sub-par playing skills of a clueless, middle-aged talk show host. While it’s fun enough to watch as Coco stumbles his way through the latest hot game, the subtext of this recurring segment is that it’s okay to be bad at video games and just enjoy playing them.

During Jon Stewart’s sixteen-year tenure as host, The Daily Show took on a life of its own, blurring the line between satire and news and critiquing not only the newsmakers but also those responsible for reporting on them. FOX News was a regular Stewart target; so regular, in fact, that he turned his hilarious and brutal takedowns of the right-leaning cable channel and its hosts into a recurring segment called Chaos on Bullshit Mountain. In it, Stewart challenged the hyperbolic rhetoric and hypocritical stances FOX spewed out with his singular sarcastic wit … and crafty, snarky editing.

John Oliver has shaken up the talk show world with his long-form approach to political comedy. But between his exposés and recaps of the week’s funniest events is “And Now, This”, a quick segment that generally features a series of clips from the news on a single theme such as CBS This Morning’s Awkward Sex Talk, an unimpressed CNN weatherman and the C-Span host dubbed the most patient man in television. Sometimes his bit takes the form of “Why Is This Still a Thing”, with the show’s announcer asking why things like Hollywood whitewashing, Columbus Day and Daylight Savings are still relevant today. Essentially, it’s Oliver condensed down to his most potent form.

Graham Norton likes to end his shows by giving a few members of his studio audience a chance to speak, albeit sometimes briefly. Very briefly. Audience members are invited to sit in a red chair and tell a story to Norton and his celebrity guests. But if the host gets bored or if he just feels like it, he can pull a lever that tips the chair and its occupant over. It’s always fun to try and guess whose stories will survive and whose will be rejected, as well as what role, if any, Norton’s guests will play in the decision. Plus, some of the stories told are downright hilarious.

Attention K-Mart Shoppers... When most people hear the name “Johnny Carson”, two images come to mind: the legendary host chasing a joke by swinging a fake golf club, and him wearing a cape and fortune teller’s hat. The latter is from Carson’s most well-known segment, Carnac the Magnificent where he would divine answers to questions sealed in envelopes he would then open to reveal the punch line. The bit was a regular part of Carson’s Tonight Show from 1964 right up until he signed off in the early ‘90s. While some of the humor was topical, the segment itself remains timeless.

It’s a segment that traces its origins back to when James Corden was a comedian in Britain and was taking part in a Comic Relief bit with the late, great George Michael. Since bringing it to his US talk show, Lady Gaga, Stevie Wonder, Adele and others have gleefully belted out their hits with Corden as he drove them to wherever they were going. Even Madonna was willing to do a little Carpool Karaoke. One of the more memorable segments happened just before Corden hosted the Tonys when he crammed several Broadway stars into his car to sing with him. This segment became so popular; it even spun-off into its own show on Apple Music in 2017.

It was one of the most definitive bits of The Colbert Report, and the only one that made its way to the Late Show when Stephen Colbert took over hosting duties from David Letterman. And we can tell why: Colbert’s dry, comedic delivery of facts on a particular topic is juxtaposed brilliantly with written, on-screen punch lines that give voice to what everyone at home is thinking. It’s no wonder a legal challenge from Colbert’s former network couldn’t derail this insightful, fast punching bit of political comedy when he revived it as The Werd on his new show.

Not every movie star can sing, but it’s a safe bet that most of them can act like they can. Jimmy Fallon, an energetic performer in his own right, took that bet and turned it into one of the most popular segments in modern late night. The Tonight Show host has put his moves and mouthing style to the test against the likes of Melissa McCarthy, Tom Cruise and Emma Stone to name a few. The bit was even popular enough to inspire a whole show of its own, hosted by LL Cool J and Chrissy Teigen.

What do Ed Sheeran, Kate Hudson and Barack Obama have in common? They’ve all taken part in this recurring Jimmy Kimmel segment. The bit seems to only grow in popularity year after year and it’s easy to understand why. Where else can you see Robert De Niro swearing at some random dude or Bryan Cranston doing his best impression of Jim Carrey impersonating Matthew McConaughey? The best part is that the tweets are real and generally from unknown people, who are unexpectedly getting their fifteen seconds of fame.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions:

- New Rule
“Real Time with Bill Maher” (2003-)
- Thank You Notes
“The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” (2014-)
- Mascots Dunking
“Conan” (2010-)

It’s clear that we at WatchMojo love a Top Ten list, but so did millions of late night viewers throughout David Letterman’s long run on the air. This iconic bit was a nightly part of both of Dave’s shows, Late Night and Late Show, spanning two networks and three decades. From the very first list Dave read in 1985, “Top Ten Things that Almost Rhyme with Peas” to later topics read by celebrities and other guests like Top 10 Things that Sound Cool When Said by Snoop Dogg to Top 10 Things That Sound Creepy When Said by John Malkovich, they were always irreverent, original and hilarious.