The Tonight Show
NBC's flagship interview
The Tonight Show is a long-running American late-night television talk show, airing on NBC since 1954.
The format—monologue, celebrity interviews, musical guests, comedy bits—established the template for the genre.
The show is identified with its hosts: Steve Allen, Jack Paar, Johnny Carson (whose thirty-year tenure defined the form), Jay Leno, Conan O'Brien, and Jimmy Fallon.
Did you see who was on The Tonight Show last night?
- The RootsHip-hop collective with live instruments
- sidekickSubordinate adventure partner
- bandleaderDirector of musical ensemble
- announcerOne who introduces programs
Jay Leno · Jimmy Fallon · Conan O'Brien · Ed McMahon · Questlove · emcee · presenter · personality
Uninterrupted solo address
- interviewFormal questioning session
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- musical guestPerformer booked for entertainment
- comedy bitShort performed joke
cold open · segment · games · lip sync battle · thank you notes · hashtags · audience participation · celebrity guest
American television network
- BurbankLos Angeles suburb with studios
- 30 RockNBC workplace comedy series
- tapingRecording or binding
- liveTo exist or dwell
ratings · timeslot · network · syndication · episode · season · airtime · viewership
Period of peak prosperity
- curtainFabric hung for privacy
- CarnacBreton megalithic complex
- cultural institutionOrganization preserving shared heritage
- television historyStudy of broadcast medium's development
iconic · influential · Emmy · anniversary · retrospective · farewell · debut · landmark
Johnny Carson
- The RootsHip-hop collective with live instruments
- sidekickSubordinate adventure partner
- bandleaderDirector of musical ensemble
Jay Leno · Jimmy Fallon · Conan O'Brien · Ed McMahon · Questlove · announcer · emcee · presenter · personality · catchphrase
monologue
Uninterrupted solo address
- interviewFormal questioning session
- sketchHasty informal drawing
- musical guestPerformer booked for entertainment
comedy bit · cold open · segment · games · lip sync battle · thank you notes · hashtags · audience participation · celebrity guest · promotion
NBC
American television network
live · ratings · timeslot · network · syndication · episode · season · airtime · viewership · primetime
golden age
Period of peak prosperity
- curtainFabric hung for privacy
- CarnacBreton megalithic complex
- cultural institutionOrganization preserving shared heritage
television history · iconic · influential · Emmy · anniversary · retrospective · farewell · debut · landmark
celebrity
Widely recognized public figure
comedian · author · politician · athlete · promotion · publicity · anecdote · reveal · exclusive · debut
- NBCUniversalNBC, NBCUniversal, Peacock, Universal Studios, SNL
- talk showsguest host, co-host, host, celebrity interview, interviews
- variety showsLaugh-In, America's Got Talent, The Voice, American Idol, Britain's Got Talent
- Retro TVI Love Lucy, The Honeymooners, Leave It to Beaver, The Twilight Zone, M*A*S*H
The Tonight ShowC-SPAN
Network televising Congress
60 Minutes · Nightline · Meet the Press · Face the Nation · investigative journalism
The Tonight Showpublic access television
Noncommercial local broadcasting for citizens
tonight, show, night, nightly, nights, nighttime, showed, shown, showing