Giantrobo

True, but isn't Dave is Craig's boss? I had always thought Craig was next in line for Letterman's show when he leaves.

PhantomStranger

Craig Kilburn should come out of exile to replace Dave.

Mike86

I may be wrong but I actually think I remember Craig talking about one time not really wanting to move on to The Late Show after Dave steps down. I think he realizes that a lot of the off the wall humor he does on his show and his non-conventional style for interviews might not fly as well at an earlier time. He's basically made the joke before that the only reason he gets away with half the stuff he does is that he's on so late the people in charge aren't watching anyways which I'd imagine is partially true. I think if Dave really wanted him to take the spot he'd go with it but I somehow don't see him being really antsy to take over.

God no. I hated Kilborn, he was never that funny and always came off like a prick. Dave's a cranky old man at this point too but he's still kind of likable despite the fact.

Drexl

JB Smoove.

Jimmy James

I'd like to see if John Mulaney could pull off the late night talk show host thing. Of course I think his pilot got picked up by maybe Fox so there could be contractual issues even if the show isn't successful. That guy absolutely slays me when I hear his stand up.

ETA: My other suggestion would be Aziz Ansari. I think he'd be canned within a year but that would be a gloriously spectacular debacle of a year. The show would ABSOLUTELY HAVE TO move to LA, though.

Josh-da-man

Agreed. I think he lost his edge when he went from Late Night on NBC to the Late Show on CBS.

And lately, he's as stale as an old box of taco shells you found behind your refrigerator. I don't know when the decline really started... when he got caught porking Monty?

SuperJim88

If you watch Ferguson's show you'd know he doesn't want Letterman's job. He said on a several occasions, he likes to show up 2 hours before taping and leave immediately after it. He does almost little to no preparation for his show. You can tell, it's almost entirely improv day after day.

Hazel Motes

How about Conan O'Brien? He's replaced Letterman once already, maybe he can do it again. He's the most naturally funny late night host on tv. He's the best of the bunch imo. Would be pretty cool if he had that 11:35 network slot again. He deserves it.

Mike86

I'm guessing at this point in time Conan is probably content with his TBS show. He can probably get away with more of his goofy humor that doesn't fly with the mainstream audiences as well on the big networks. Plus who knows if CBS would take a shot with him after what happened with NBC (although that was more of NBC's fuck up).

Jimmy James

David Letterman 4/12/47
Jay Leno 4/28/50
Conan O'Brien 4/18/63
Jimmy Kimmel 11/13/67
Jimmy Fallon 9/19/74

The idea of Conan taking over Late Show isn't a terrible one, but I think he's a bit long in the tooth IF the network decides it wants to go young to go after the typical late night viewer. If they want to run counter-programming, he's a perfect fit.

TheKing

And just to add:
Craig Ferguson: 5/17/62
Jon Stewart: 11/28/62

I think Conan is damaged goods at this point, and CBS wouldn't really have much interest. Stewart gets money and respect with The Daily Show. Ferguson is perfect for 12:35. They're all too old to have a 20 year run at this point.

Coladar1

Yeah, Conan ain't happening. I don't think he wants to move, and I don't think CBS would want him. Been there, done that, he's not a good fit up against Fallon head-to-head, nor a natural Late Show successor...

On his end, he's got creative control, he can even curse without bleeps, and he (or at least I) wouldn't want the pressure of "He failed once, will he again?" No reason for it, he's already got a late night show and NBC's mad cash buyout means he doesn't need to worry about $$$.

Ferguson... I agree, his shtick wouldn't work for the 11:35 slot. Worse, he'd turn off a *lot* of the older audience Letterman has and will likely pick up from Leno now.

Have I mentioned Tom Green before? That said, I don't think he'd do well with the idea of censors or creative oversight, certainly not on CBS at 11:35.

I'm not much of a fan, but of the 'established' hosts, Stewart is the only obvious choice and natural fit. Wide appeal, fairly 'mainstream' humor, yet even retaining Dave's slightly left-of-center political views.

I'd say screw the established bit and go out on a limb - either take a wild shot in the dark on a new talent (I despise Family Guy, but Seth Mcfarlane would seem a very good option - he's got that variety show host charm, sings, dances, comedy, the whole nine yards. Considering his primary music genre is Big Band type/Sinatra-esque, the appeal is there for an older audience while his comedy work draws in the young crowd - a rare example of a talent capable of working multiple demographics. Plus, he's got deep, deep, deeep Hollywood connections and friendships, a huge bonus for this gig.)

That, or blow the whole thing out of the water and go rogue. Don't do a late night talker, but try something else. What, that's up to them... sketch comedy, straight interviews, even a Politically Incorrect style show - hell, networks don't have to avoid cursing and stuff after 10pm, right?

Maybe add another hour to primetime, an edgier hour filled with shows that go head to head with HBO's worst. Strictly TV-MA dramas, even comedies - now *that* is offering alternative programming to a landscape littered with a billion 11pm talk shows that interview celebrities promoting lame projects. That is doing something edgy and new, taking a chance on a bold new direction, embracing the realities of the DVR world where timeslots don't matter, and directly confronting new competition from more R-rated shows on cable. Bonus of bonuses, it offers another hour to try out more unproven concepts and utilize as a way of getting five more opportunities of finding a hit without blowing up your primetime schedule/taking a hit in ratings which matter and that advertisers target. You get that big success, then move it to 10pm and rake in the ad revenue. I dare someone to say the controversy such a move would bring wouldn't draw viewers in droves - publicity as parent groups protest, people curious about adult shows on broadcast, whatever... even in a post-Cable world, mature shows on broadcast network TV would draw in viewers based on curiousity and novelty alone, regardless of the content's quality.

I expect my cut of the profits from this concept, CBS, thanks much.

Jimmy James

Crazy idea perhaps: the timing is perhaps just about the same as when The Big Bang Theory would be long in the tooth.

Jim Parsons was born on 3/24/73

It would be the Jimmy Fallon equivalent in the CBS system, perhaps.

Jackskeleton

It'll be a sad day since Craig stated that he's only doing it till Letterman quits and then he's bowing out

UAIOE

I still think Letterman is funnier than Leno ever was, but I know current Dave isn't anywhere near as funny as mid-90's Dave. I miss those bits where he'd man the drive-thru at Taco Bell and annoy people.

I think Letterman was toning down before it, but I think he really toned down after his heart surgery.

And Craig is awesome, but I can't see him moving to 10:35. 10:35 isn't ready for talking robots, dancing horses, or Craig admitting he's looking at female guests breasts.

Count Dooku

Neil Patrick Harris was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on June 15, 1973.

Rypro 525

Even the monologue is mostly winged. Its also usually not just your standard 'do 5 current events jokes' its usually just one or 2 notable things or what the day is

PenguinJoe

Tom Green's talk show was the worst.

How about...

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/EDTcrKft1dQ" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

RichC2

Tom Green's online talk show was a vast improvement.

Zach looks surprisingly human there.

Rypro 525

Announcement will be made on tonight's show.

dex14

Why not Ferguson? I guess he's too whacky. It'll probably be Jon Stewart.

SuperJim88

It's about time. He's quit making an effort on his show for a long time now. And who's Brian Stelter?

Hokeyboy

madcougar

I was a HUGE fan for many, many years, but video games and the internet have cut into my TV time to the point where late night isn't something I watch anymore. Regardless, the guy will go down as one of the very best.

Deftones

I've gotta believe CBS wants to skew younger, like NBC did with Fallon. Bring in someone in their 30's or 40's. If this had happened 5-7 years ago, I could see Jon Stewart taking the gig. Now, not so much.