Top 10 Late Night Talk Show Appearances of the Decade


4. Paul Newman on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (August, 2005)

The 80-year-old screen legend seemed serene upon accepting Jay Leno's go-karting challenge, but his final words to Jay once in the driver's seat ("Pray for your life") told another story. The event would serve as one of the last great TV moments for the beloved icon.


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3. Angie Harmon (and Jason Sehorn) on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (March, 2000)

When Angie Harmon appeared on The Tonight Show to promote Law & Order, she had no idea her boyfriend (and professional football star) Jason Sehorn was hiding backstage. In an unceremonious mutter, Leno told Harmon he was at the studio, and within seconds the dashing Sehorn came out and proposed to Harmon, right on air. Her dropped jaw made for unforgettable TV and the beginning of a marriage that produced three kids and a few testimonials for John McCain.


2. Joaquin Phoenix on The Late Show with David Letterman (February, 2009)

When David Letterman looses his true crankiness, a nation exhales. That's what we want in an avuncular late-night emcee -- and in an actual uncle, for that matter. Dave's barb to the newly enigmatic Phoenix, who was on the verge of quitting acting and beginning "a hip-hop career," is the greatest of the decade: "I'll come to your house and chew gum."

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Comments

  • SunnydaZe says:

    The final clip is a true master class in passive-aggressiveness.
    It reminds me of when I am at a party and suddenly realize the person I'm talking to just isn't that in to me...
    That's when it gets fun!! The trick is figuring out EXACTLY what is annoying them and KEEP DOING IT just to see how long they will put up with you before moving on.

  • sosgemini says:

    What, no Oprah and Dave reunion?

  • Joh WOods says:

    Wow is letterman cool or what? Wow.
    Jes
    http://www.total-privacy.es.tc

  • Son of Mecha Mummy says:

    Good list, but I would have included Monty Python's Flying Circus (sans Michael Palin and, of course, Graham Chapman) on Jimmy Fallon. It was glorious just for the first three minutes of the interview where the Pythons steadfastly refused to actually let Fallon interview them.

  • Ian says:

    The Joaquin Phoenix interview is truly uncomfortable. He is clearly in a bad place, and the audience are clueless, interrupting what could have been a very interesting interview with inane laughter. The real muppets here are the audience, and, of course, Letterman, whose ego is too huge to try to relate to his guest properly, put the audience in their place and conduct a real interview. Cheap shots seem to be about his level. Who watches this trash??

  • steve says:

    What F'ing Ian Guy?

  • Mario says:

    Dude really? The guy was chewing gum and had about 3 thoughts the entire time. I think the only way this got out of the "staring contest" was due to Letterman's creativity. Sure, the audience was clueless, but really, did they go to Letterman to watch some guys facial hair grow?

  • SunnydaZe says:

    Yeah, if the muppets would just stop interrupting Mr. Letterman with inane laughter maybe he could have been the next Mike Wallace.
    STOP LAUGHING AT DAVE!!! CAN'T YOU SEE HOW YOU ARE HURTING HIM????!!!

  • allue says:

    I agree. I don't understand why he doesn't even try to connect with his guest. Yes, guest, someone he invited to appear on his show. High or not, Joaquin is obviously confused by the whole situation. I don't think he expected to be treated this way by Letterman or the audience, no matter what he looks like. Maybe he forgot the gum when he went on and once Letterman started to make fun of him, he got nervous and just started chewing...
    If he was really high or not present for some other reason, Lettermans people should've noticed and cancelled his appearance. Anyways, an unprofessional display by the Late night folks (including Letterman).

  • F.N. Sihnidall says:

    How'd they forget Cruise as "Couch Destroyer" on Oprah from the list?! The single most amazing moment in TV history. He is so gone.

  • Sean says:

    With every appearance she makes, Palin comes across smarter and smarter. Obama, on the other hand, ...

  • Andrew says:

    Is that a Cosby sweater?

  • Louis Virtel says:

    Unfortunately the Tom Cruise-Oprah incident is not technically a "late night" event, even if you watch Oprah at 3 AM when you can't be seen.

  • Jeff says:

    You know when David Letterman was funny...oh wait...the comedian NEVER achieved status as humorous. He's a dim-witted bully at best, with an accommodating audience to provide peanut-gallery, slack-jawed laughter.

  • JJ says:

    No Drew Barrymore dancing on Letterman's desk???

  • SunnydaZe says:

    BULLSHIT!!! He wasn't invited, his publicist requested he appear. These half-wit celebrities need Letterman much more than he needs them. The best moments of his NBC show often didn't even involve the celebrity guests. (how I miss those moments..)
    Do you think these celebrities live on Mars? That they have no idea what to expect from David Letterman?? And they both were really just playing their celebrity roles and it made for great television. Joaquin and Paris knew this as much as Letterman.
    It seems as if people like you want TV to be as bland and safe as possible which means NO ONE WOULD WATCH...

  • Derek says:

    The Joaquin Phoenix interview wasn't Dave's fault. It came off that Joaquin wanted to convey that awkwardness as a staged event. The fact that he was really just being weird on stage isn't Dave's fault. He had a show to run and keep interesting. The guy clearly had nothing to say and was high.

  • junioriu says:

    This was a staged event. Both actor and host rehearsed this and you dumb fucks bought it.
    ...no wonder Hollywood is so powerful, you people are drones...

  • SunnydaZe says:

    Well, if you wanna put it that way...

  • varla says:

    Any best-of list that includes 3 appearance by Leno and his band of sycophants must be a put-on, much like the Phoenix-Letterman clip or the guy who thinks Sarah Palin is "smart".
    You denigrate the memory of Mr. Newman by showing a clip of him with Jay Leno. He was much better being lifted into the air on a balloon-powered lounge chair by the Mythbusters guys during one of his appearances on Letterman. Newman and Letterman were actually friends, unlike Newman and that rent-a-hack Jay Leno.

  • To conclude, disagreeing with this brief review to any degree is certainly censorship, that may be normal for your misdefined 19th-century agenda.

  • The Cantankerist says:

    Thing about the Joaquin interview that tips his hand: look at the finish, when he goes to talk to Letterman after the interview. Look at how quickly the sunglasses come off and the manner changes - he slightly blows the "gag", just because it's such a pronounced, visible difference.

  • George says:

    This list is a load of crap...the best talk show guest of all time was and still is Don Rickles !! End of discussion !!!!