Late-night TV isn’t just for funny Jimmy Fallon videos or intentionally obtuse Colbert Report interviews.
2014 proved there’s plenty of drama (and strife!) to be had. Don’t believe us? Well, just keep scrolling for the top 5 brawls of the year.
Jon Stewart vs. Bill O’Reilly
Nobody hashes it out like these two — and that was particularly true when an O’Reilly visit to The Daily Show turned into a shouting match about white privilege. So much for promoting your latest book, Mr. O’Reilly. See the video here.
Jimmy Fallon vs. Jay Leno
Jay Leno was gracious during his Tonight Show handoff to Jimmy Fallon. But he did not have to play nice when returning to the show as a guest, when the man mocked his successor over a lack of car knowledge, suggesting he was a mediocre host.
Stephen Colbert vs. Barack Obama
Conservative firebrand Stephen Colbert landed a presidential visit during his final weeks on air. What happened? Obama commandeered Colbert’s The Word segment — the result being one of the most electrifying moments of 2014 late-night TV.
Conan vs. Jay Leno
It was Leno’s final night as Tonight Show host, and Conan O’Brien allowed himself one zinger. “The Olympics start airing tonight on NBC. It’s very cool. That’s right, NBC has the Olympics. It’s a big deal,” O’Brien said in his opening monologue Feb. 6. “NBC will finally get to show somebody who is OK with passing the torch.”
Zach Galifianakis vs. Brad Pitt
It’s not a late-night show, but this one was too good to ignore. Zach Galifianakis made things incredibly awkward (even by his standards) when he asked Brad Pitt about ex-wife Jennifer Aniston — as though he was unaware Pitt used to be married to her.
What were your favorite moments of the year? Let us know in the comments!
Email: Aaron.Couch@THR.com
Twitter: @AaronCouch
