The best days of David Letterman and Conan O'Brien are far behind us. It's a sad truth to accept, but the statement cannot be denied. Dave has been half-assing it for the last few years, and Conan has yet to prove he's still worthy of a nightly viewing since his days following Jay Leno. Yes, Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have created one of the finest hours of late night television in years, but neither host is producing a traditional late night talk show program. On that note, the same can be said about the marvelous Craig Ferguson, a host who has decided to throw away the cue cards and talking points and adlibs his way through the hour. The fact of the matter is whether you loved or loathed the man in his Saturday Night Live days, Jimmy Fallon has quickly created the best show in late night. Period.

The full editorial after the jump... here ya go! (http://ryanschwartz.posterous.com/late-night-for-a-new-generation)

I agree! Jimmy Fallon is the best of the current late night talk show hosts!

i think its all pretty subjective; some people like Fallon, some don't - I can't watch him, but then I never liked him on SNL either and I was glad to see him go.

I haven't watched latenight TV since Carson and I don't think I've missed much.

I think thats a bit much saying that Letterman is half-assing it and Conan isnt that good. I think Conan is ok. I mean I liked him better on NBC when he had all his different segments (Celebrity Survey, Prepping for the SAT segment etc.). Those were funny and I think since NBC wont allow Conan to have those segments, Conan has kind of suffered.
I dont think Letterman is half-assing it. I think he is still funny after all these years. I will say that Fallon has grown on me. When he first started I thought his monologues were kind of dry but he does a good job. Some of his segments (Jersey Floor, spinoff of The Hills, Thank You Notes etc.) are very funny.
Ferguson is good because I like Geoff Peterson and Secretariat. The thing with him is that, thats pretty much all he does. I also watched his shows when he was in Paris, which were kind of odd actually.

I think thats a bit much saying that Letterman is half-assing it and Conan isnt that good. I think Conan is ok. I mean I liked him better on NBC when he had all his different segments (Celebrity Survey, Prepping for the SAT segment etc.). Those were funny and I think since NBC wont allow Conan to have those segments, Conan has kind of suffered.
I dont think Letterman is half-assing it. I think he is still funny after all these years. I will say that Fallon has grown on me. When he first started I thought his monologues were kind of dry but he does a good job. Some of his segments (Jersey Floor, spinoff of The Hills, Thank You Notes etc.) are very funny.
Ferguson is good because I like Geoff Peterson and Secretariat. The thing with him is that, thats pretty much all he does. I also watched his shows when he was in Paris, which were kind of odd actually.

I say Conan isn't as good because he seems to have given up on creating new, original bits to do on the show. Yes, he can't have his NBC bits back, but that's more the reason to concoct newer stuff. His monologue is quite weak now, and his second segment after the first commercial is hard to sit through. This is all coming from a die-hard Conan O'Brien fan.

As for Letterman, I'm sticking by what I said. He doesn't do anything anymore. When was the last time you saw "Will it Float?", the Hello Deli sketches, etc? It's the same thing that's caused Conan's TBS show to become stale.

I say Conan isn't as good because he seems to have given up on creating new, original bits to do on the show. Yes, he can't have his NBC bits back, but that's more the reason to concoct newer stuff. His monologue is quite weak now, and his second segment after the first commercial is hard to sit through. This is all coming from a die-hard Conan O'Brien fan.

As for Letterman, I'm sticking by what I said. He doesn't do anything anymore. When was the last time you saw "Will it Float?", the Hello Deli sketches, etc? It's the same thing that's caused Conan's TBS show to become stale.
You are absolutely right. Dave has been "phoning it in" for quite some time now. And Conan has made no real effort to create original bits to replace the ones he was forced to leave behind at NBC. Meanwhile Jimmy Fallon is the most original and creative host in latenight coming up with original bits (carpet sample game etc.) and seems to be the only latenight host who takes his job seriously and treats it as a job.

I say Conan isn't as good because he seems to have given up on creating new, original bits to do on the show. Yes, he can't have his NBC bits back, but that's more the reason to concoct newer stuff. His monologue is quite weak now, and his second segment after the first commercial is hard to sit through. This is all coming from a die-hard Conan O'Brien fan.

As for Letterman, I'm sticking by what I said. He doesn't do anything anymore. When was the last time you saw "Will it Float?", the Hello Deli sketches, etc? It's the same thing that's caused Conan's TBS show to become stale.

Your right. I wish Conan would get back the NBC bits because those were hilarious. Dave should go back to Will it Float etc. but I dont think hes that bad.

Your right. I wish Conan would get back the NBC bits because those were hilarious. Dave should go back to Will it Float etc. but I dont think hes that bad.

The best interviews come out of Craig Feruson, then David Letterman, and then Jimmy Fallon... in that order! I won't deny that. But the overall shows don't top Fallon in my honest opinion.

im eating my words i said right here at so that i did not think that jimmy fallon had the chops to do late night tv boy was i wrong he is the best of all the late night hosts right now and yes sad to say i agree that dave has been coasting on his rep for at least 2 years now sorry that the kids watching today only get dave at half speed because when he was in his prime there was no one better except carson but for 80s kids letterman was the best