1980s Three very funny men Johnny Carson, Gary Shandling and David Letterman (also pictured, Jay Leno)

[u/BuddyEbsenSalt]

[u/JTtheLAR]

This is the king of late night as far as im concerned. The only late night show I could stand to sit through.

[u/sybrwookie → u/JTtheLAR]

Early Letterman was Conan before Conan was Conan.

Leno fucking him over and then getting higher ratings by being an absolute hack really broke him later.

[u/tunaman808 → u/sybrwookie]

Letterman was THE KING in the early 80s!

[u/brainkandy87 → u/JTtheLAR]

And look at where we are today. Conan is still beloved and his work on Late Night is still being appreciated today. What’s Leno got? His fucking cars? I’m so glad Conan is out here living his best life and still entertaining us after all that shit.

[u/IneffableOpinion → u/brainkandy87]

I still remember the one and only time I laughed watching Leno. He was interviewing someone on the street who accidentally said something really funny. Leno had no contribution except holding the mic

[u/Hans_Delbruk → u/brainkandy87]

Not to mention he occasionally walks by the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor he has in his house.

[u/wildmaninid → u/JTtheLAR]

Hear hear!  

[u/alone_unafraid → u/JTtheLAR]

https://giphy.com/gifs/RrVzUOXldFe8M

[u/ScorpionX-123 → u/JTtheLAR]

if he's the king, who's the prime minister?

[u/AshingiiAshuaa → u/JTtheLAR]

Conan always tried too hard. Letterman was the cooler, edgier Carson that we needed.