• Behind the Desk: The Story of Late Night

  • By: CNN
  • Podcast

Behind the Desk: The Story of Late Night

By: CNN
  • Summary

  • More than 60 years ago, the creation of late night TV changed the face of television forever. From Johnny Carson, to David Letterman, to Arsenio Hall, the late night show format continues to endure, evolving to keep pace each new generation. In Behind the Desk: The Story of Late Night host Bill Carter takes us on a journey through late night television’s most memorable moments with first-hand, behind-the-scenes accounts from some of the most notable names in late night history.  Behind the Desk: The Story of Late Night is a companion podcast to CNN’s Original Series, The Story of Late Night.
    2023 CNN
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Episodes
  • Let's Go Behind the Desk
    Mar 22 2021
    More than 60 years ago, the creation of late night TV changed the face of television forever. From Johnny Carson, to David Letterman, to Arsenio Hall, the late night show format continues to endure, evolving to keep pace each new generation. In Behind the Desk: The Story of Late Night host Bill Carter takes us on a journey through late night television’s most memorable moments with first-hand, behind-the-scenes accounts from some of the most notable names in late night history. Behind the Desk: The Story of Late Night is a companion podcast to CNN’s Original docuseries, The Story of Late Night. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    3 mins
  • The Host
    Apr 22 2021
    Bill Carter speaks with legendary hosts Jimmy Kimmel and Dick Cavett, the genre's newest star Amber Ruffin, Conan O’Brien’s sidekick Andy Richter and many more to dissect one of TV’s hardest, most challenging jobs - the late night TV host. These individuals aren’t just the stars of the show: they’re writers, directors, and crisis managers. While they are everything from charming to difficult, inspiring to insecure, and even downright eccentric, their genius shines bright when they consistently make it all look so easy - five nights a week, every week! To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    54 mins
  • The Format
    Apr 22 2021
    The monologue, the desk, the guests, the band. The ingredients of the late night TV formula are familiar, yet fickle. Get them just right and a show can last for decades. Make one mistake and your career is over – fast. In this episode, we explore the alchemy that turns a late night TV show into ratings and social media gold. Jimmy Kimmel, Desus & Mero, David Letterman producer and co-creator of The Daily Show co-creator Madeleine Smithberg, Tonight Show regular Byron Allen and more give us insights into the hardships of mastering the formula perfected by Johnny Carson. To learn more about how CNN protects listener privacy, visit cnn.com/privacy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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    51 mins

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