Ranking Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel And All The Other Current Late Night Hosts

I love staying up until the wee hours of the 2025 TV schedule to watch my favorite late night TV hosts, but I alsoI feel that I have reason to be both concerned and optimistic about the future of the format at this point in its history. We have seen some exciting new developments in how this corner of programming can thrive in an era dominated by streaming and viral content, as well as some disheartening news that suggests a potential regression of what has made late-night TV special.

I will get more into the specifics of these contrasting feelings soon enough as I list out my favorite late-night TV hosts working today, ranked from least to most favorite. How do Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, or Jimmy Kimmel measure up against each other, in my opinion? Read on to find out…

9. Bill Maher (Real Time)

Bill Maher has been telling jokes for 40 years, which makes me wonder if he has a friendlier disposition performing stand-up than as a talk show host, but I may never find out because I have no interest in seeking out his specials. As the host of Politically Correct from 1993-2002 on Comedy Central and ABC and, currently, HBO’s Real Time since 2003, the comedian discusses various topics on the political spectrum with a versatile group of guests weekly, incorporating his staunch viewpoints at a satirical angle. I cannot help but question if Maher understands the difference between satire and insult, as his comedic style nowadays feels less funny and more mean-spirited.

Some notable examples include criticizing adult comic book fans mourning the death of Stan Lee in a blog post or poking fun at travel blogging as a profession in response to influencer Gabi Petito’s murder in a Real Time segment from October 2021. He could not have picked more unnecessary topics to judge at more inappropriate times and in less funny ways. I hope HBO would get real and cut Maher’s time short but they will more than likely keep him on for as long as he makes headlines.

8. Jimmy Fallon (The Tonight Show)

Former SNL cast member (who was hired quite young at 24) and “Weekend Update” host Jimmy Fallon got his first taste of late-night glory as a guest host for David Letterman on The Late Show in 2003. He would go on to succeed Conan O’Brien’s position on NBC’s Late Night five years later and, eventually, earn the top prize when he took over The Tonight Show in 2014. His unique hosting persona is given away in the show’s current official title: The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon – implying that he is not just “with” the show, but is its bonafide star, participating in live bits with celebrity guests and constantly proving himself as a committed showman.

The one reason I have for ranking Fallon so low on this list is, for as great an entertainer as he has proven to be, his interviewing skills still lack one important ingredient: authenticity. With every overstated laugh and incredulous compliment, he seems to spend more time being a people pleaser than really getting down to the nitty-gritty with his guests. Sometimes I’d rather he just stop asking questions (and interrupting his guests’ answers on occasion) and stick to singing, dancing, and playing games.

7. Andy Cohen (Watch What Happens Live)

Andy Cohen is a TV personality who has never had a problem staying authentic and often tries to hold his guests to the same standard. This can often be to his detriment and leads to many awkward celebrity interactions – even outside of his show, such as his supposed feud with Ryan Seacrest – but that’s about the only negative thing I would say about the St. Louis native.

Otherwise, it is no wonder why Watch What Happens Live has lasted more than a decade – debuting on Bravo in 2009 as a weekend event before being rebranded as a nightly show – and how Cohen has managed to stay so busy wearing multiple hats on TV. His intimate hosting style, which involves not hiding behind a desk, always keeps things interesting, and his charming presence is hard to resist.

6. Seth Meyers (Late Night)

Following one of the longest SNL tenures on record – during which he also served as a strong head writer and solo “Weekend Update” host – Seth Meyers seemed like a perfect fit to replace Jimmy Fallon on Late Night. Indeed, he has the interviewing chops Fallon lacks, but, admittedly, lacks the showmanship his predecessor boasts, and I recall seeing him struggle to get into a rhythm that helped him stand out and utilize his skill set to its full potential.

He would later combat the struggle to transition from satirical news reading on SNL to juggling traditional hosting duties on Late Night by swerving into that skid and, more or less, making that the basis of the show. As a result, he's done away with opening stand-up monologues altogether and incorporated his signature satire into bits, most often, from behind the desk, throwing in a few lighthearted sketches here and there – such as day drinking with celebrities in pre-taped bits. Meyers is the same guy he was when he was at SNL, but that may be just how it should be.

5. Jimmy Kimmel (Jimmy Kimmel Live)

Of the late-night “Jims,” I feel most partial to Kimmel, being the kind of host you would love to be a guest for, or even just grab a beer with. He has certainly come a long way from his time as Adam Corolla’s co-host for Comedy Central’s The Man Show – a program which he would probably be one to criticize today – since debuting Jimmy Kimmel Live in 2003.

His signature snark and everyman relatability have lent themselves to some of late-night’s most amusing interviews and hilarious moments, with one of the funniest bits being his increasingly furious feud with Matt Damon. What started as an impromptu throwaway joke from Kimmel’s early days on ABC has evolved into a recurring segment – including one instance in which the Academy Award winner took over the show – with a surprising endurance that has even left the host himself amazed. It is one of the most celebrated traditions in late-night and cemented Kimmel as one of the strongest in the game.

4. John Oliver (Last Week Tonight)

The Daily Show has proven to be a consistently fertile breeding ground for comedic talent, but one of the best to make the transition from social satire to… well, more social satire, is John Oliver. The British comedian and one-time Community cast member first showed that he had what it takes to be the man behind the desk as a temporary fill-in on The Daily Show while Jon Stewart was out directing a film.

As the host of Last Week Tonight on HBO, Oliver touches on everything from entertainment to politics with a refreshingly light and accessible tone that, no matter how dark the subject material can get, never fails to be entertaining. What is his secret? Other than his clever wit or personable tone, I think it might be the accent.

3. John Mulaney (Everybody’s Live)

In the summer of 2024, celebrated comedian John Mulaney debuted a six-part talk show-style series that streamed live with a Netflix subscription called Everybody’s in L.A. The bizarre, off-the-cuff tone of the program made such a remarkable impression on viewers that the demand to see more was high… and eventually granted the following year.

Everybody’s Live, a great comfort watch that has already been renewed for a second season, according to Deadline, is one of the best editions of “late night TV” I have ever seen, with its use of absurd and relatable topics that dominate each weekly episode, fascinating and hilarious guests, remote segments that feel authentic yet too good to be true, and an unmatched rotation of awesome musical guests. The show is already a game-changer in the format by streaming live weekly on Netflix, but it is Mulaney’s bold and ingeniously wacky approach to the material that makes him a standout.

2. Stephen Colbert (Late Show)

It is with a heavy heart that I talk about my choice for the second-best late night TV host working today, because the show he has hosted for more than a decade is coming to an end. In July 2025, citing economic reasons, CBS cancelled Late Show, which was started by David Letterman in the early 1990s, meaning that Stephen Colbert will be packing things up at the network in May of next year.

It is frustrating to know that the former Daily Show correspondent and Colbert Report host’s time at the Ed Sullivan Theatre – from which he conducted wonderful celebrity interviews and participated in brilliant comedy sketches – is already nearing its end. However, with his one-in-a-million wit, reserved and well-spoken tone, and courage to never back down from speaking his mind, I have no doubt that we will be seeing Colbert back in the game beyond CBS at some point.

1. Jon Stewart (The Daily Show)

While Trevor Noah proved to be a fantastic successor when Jon Stewart left The Daily Show in 2015, it really felt like the end of the political satire in its most essential form. Luckily, we would only have to wait a little less than a decade to see him come back home.

At the moment, Stewart only appears once a week amid a rotation of guest hosts filling in the remaining days, and he is currently contracted only to appear through 2025. However, his appearances so far have been a fruitful reminder of why his equally witty and boldly insightful commentary made him one of broadcasting’s most trusted faces, despite being on a comedy network. For as long as we have him back, I believe he deserves to stand at the top of my list.

If you ask me, I do not believe for one second that late-night TV is dying, but I do believe it is changing. Whether or not it is changing for the better still remains up for debate. However, as long as we have talented comedians like these people leading the format, it has nowhere to go but up.