The Best Talk Show Hosts Of Daytime, Late Night, and All Time

Over 900 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of The Best Talk Show Hosts Of Daytime, Late Night, and All Time
Voting Rules
Vote up the hosts who truly had the most, whether they were on daytime, late night or any time in-between.

There have been as many top talk show hosts as there have been types of talk shows over the years. Everyone has a favorite, someone they think is the best late-night talk show host or the daytime talk show they love to spend each morning with. As some talk shows have been around a long time, there are also opinions about who was the best host of this show or that show. But, if all things were equal and you had to decide who was the best talk show host - from any time slot, any era, any type of show, who would you pick?

Is Johnny Carson really the best talk show host of all time when he's going up against Barbara Walters and Arsenio Hall? Who rules the roost: Kelly Ripa or Oprah? And what about Ellen, Letterman, Eric Andre, and Sally Jesse Raphael? When it comes down to raw skill against raw skill, charm against charm, and the pure ability to guide a conversation and nail an interview, what talk show hosts are the best?

It's a difficult decision, but don't worry, you can vote for as many talk show hosts as you like. So vote up the best talk show hosts and vote down the hosts who wish they had the most.

Photo: The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson / NBC
Ranked by
  • Johnny Carson
    1
    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson
    375 votes
    John William Carson (October 23, 1925 – January 23, 2005) was an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known as the host of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson ...more
  • Conan O'Brien
    2
    Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Conan
    652 votes
    Conan Christopher O'Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American television host, comedian, writer, and producer. He is best known for hosting several late-night talk shows; since 2010, he has hosted ...more
  • David Letterman
    3
    The Late Show with David Letterman, My Next Guest Needs No Introduction
    386 votes
    David Michael Letterman (born April 12, 1947) is an American television host, comedian, writer, producer and automobile racing team owner. He hosted late night television talk shows for 33 years, ...more
  • Craig Ferguson
    4
    The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson
    363 votes
    Craig Ferguson (born 17 May 1962) is a Scottish-American television host, comedian, author, and actor. He hosted the syndicated game show Celebrity Name Game (2014–17), for which he won two Daytime ...more
  • Dick Cavett
    5
    The Dick Cavett Show
    203 votes
    Richard Alva Cavett (; born November 19, 1936) is an American television personality, comedian and former talk show host notable for his conversational style and in-depth discussions. He appeared ...more
  • Graham Norton
    6
    The Graham Norton Show
    359 votes
    Graham William Walker (born 4 April 1963), known professionally as Graham Norton, is an Irish television and radio presenter, comedian, actor, author, and commentator based in the United Kingdom. He ...more