The 10 Greatest A**hole Hosts in TV History
Somewhere in the evolution of television -- perhaps when Steve Allen made fun of Jerry Lee Lewis's incomprehensible lyrics on air, or when Cher first razzed Sonny -- some great executive realized: "A**holes make great TV hosts." The art of "likable meanness" is a tricky study for TV emcees, one that requires consummate detachment as well as an audience's trust. Thus, Movieline is commemorating these skilled wiseacres by picking ten of the best a**hole hosts in TV history. Spoiler: The #1 winner is so great that he combines the best qualities of every single host on the list.
10. Chelsea Handler
Chelsea Handler is brash, monotone, and downright necessary. We haven't had a sardonic female talk show host this unfiltered since Joan Rivers, whose show bit the dust soon after debuting. The irreverent host of Chelsea Lately uses her hardened, stand-up comic weariness to prod at celebrity guests like Sofia Vergara, who will never misremember her costars' names again.
9. Gordon Ramsay
Hell's Kitchen would be a neurotic mess of sous chefs without Gordon Ramsay, whose disparaging barbs make the reality-competition series a virtual quotebook of putdowns. More than any other figure in reality TV (even Simon Cowell), Ramsay owns the format's hammy theatrics and opts to make himself a curmudgeonly spectacle.
8. Donald Trump
Donald Trump is so much of an a**hole anyway that what he does can hardly be considered hosting, but the Apprentice emcee's bigwig bullying is compulsively watchable, as he has no problem out-barking lesser a**holes like Omarosa and Rod Blagojevich.
7. Gene Rayburn
Plenty of game show hosts qualify for "Legendary A**hole" stature, like Monty Hall, Pat Sajak, Alex Trebek, and Card Sharks's Jim Perry. Match Game's Gene Rayburn topped them all with a single trick: frequently insulting his contestants. With a long microphone and hundreds of questions about "Dumb Dora," Rayburn may be the most unsympathetic emcee who ever lived.
6. Dick Cavett
Now, Dick Cavett isn't an a**hole in the traditional, Trumpian sense. He's a highbrow TV veteran who once coined droll one-liners for Jack Parr -- classics like "Here they are: Jayne Mansfield." During his time as one of the best talk show hosts of late '60s and '70s, Cavett interfaced with counterculture heroes like Janis Joplin and Jimi Hendrix, using his squareness to construct slyly dick-ish badinage. While a lagging hip factor would've dogged lesser hosts, Cavett used his to insert headmasterly cynicism into his chats -- the kind of self-satisfied wit that might provoke a subject to spout, "Shut your well-educated mouth."
Pages: 1 2
Subscribe to the new Movieline on YouTube
Comments
Letterman shows a clear affection and admiration for people who work for a living (i.e., non-celebrities), and seems to relish good conversation with smart people. Jay Leno, on the other hand, laces every interview with condescension and awkward put-downs, and his most famous routine ("Jay-Walking"), has no apparent purpose except to show how stupid people are. That Letterman will forever be described as "the mean one" is, to me, one of the great show-business ironies.
Also, about Colbert: There's really not a "provocative" question about his persona, or any question at all. He's a famously non-bastardly comedian playing a character.
Ah, Matchgame. I used to love watching it after school as a little kid, knew there was something naughty about it but couldn't quite figure out what. In hindsight, I would have loved to kick back a few martinis (you can't tell me these folks were sober) with Charles Nelson Riley and Brett Somers. Gene Reyburn FTW!
My comment may seem like it's coming out of nowhere, but AMEN to everything you just said.
Letterman is such a badass
No Morton Downey Jr.?
Bruce, you are a genius. I was THIS close to including him -- but "greatest" is a term I try not to associate with ole Morty.
Wow you are right that Donald Trump is a major Ahole isnt he?
Lou
http://www.Anonymous-VPN.de.tc
Trump may be an asshole...but HES OUR ASSHOLE DOWN HERE IN THE SOUTH...! Prez Trump
Congratulations hope u southern rednecks are proud!!
I know this was more of a So Cal thing but anyone who ever got to see Wally George knows he would be on this list. That guy was such a bastard but so entertaining
Ramsay's much less an asshole than he portrays, stemming from his run for his first michelin star and the write ups done in tabloids about him. TV Producers in North America—most especially—prefer to show the "angry" side of Chef Ramsay; the one the UK stopped caring about a decade ago.
He has one of the higher employee retention rates in the restaurant business, and garners huge levels of respect and loyalty of those who work for him. A sous-chef I worked under had worked under Ramsay, Joël Robuchon and some other "big names" in the business. This sous had nothing but respect for Ramsay; describing him as one of the most honest, loyal and generous chefs he has ever worked for. Doesn't sound like much of an a**hole to me.
um..... What? David Letterman? Wheres Jay Leno on this list
oh, lenon, colbert and letterman.. someone forgot jimmy fallon. now that dude is cool.
I loved Letterman years ago when he was a funny asshole, but recently he become an angry old asshole.
We want Coco!
How about Trebek? that smug asshole is the worst. his condescending tones and pompous attitude make me want to reach through the tv and punch is canuck face.
I agree with all of these but you're missing a few people.
Anyone nominate Chevy Chase and Tom Snyder for the a**hole list? What about Rush Limbaugh. Yeah yeah, I know he is not a TV talk show host anymore, but he still SHOULD BE ON THE LIST!
Slack;
I have met Alex, and he is a truly nice person. Maybe you are just not smart enough to understand his interactions with the contestants, but he has a sly sense of humor and truly likes the contestants. Never having met any of the others, I can't say, but I also notice your bigotry showing by the reference you made to his Canadian heritage. I feel sorry for a know-nothing like you who must resort to nationalistic put-downs to try and get your point across.
This is the perfect description for Pat Screeching Buchanan I have ever seen. Hope you don't mind but I'm definitely borrowing it, he-he-he!
So anyone who dislikes Alex Trebek must be too stupid to share your deep understanding of his interactions with the Jeopardy contestants?
It's not surprising that someone so pompous and condescending would be a die-hard Alex Trebek fan.
As much as I can't stand Letterman O'Reilly is so far ahead of everyone on the ASSHOLE SCALE ITS NO CONTEST