A late-night talk show is a subgenre of the talk show genre. It is specifically a kind of comedy-oriented talk and variety show that airs late at night. Characteristics of the genre include topical monologues in which the host makes fun of the day's news, comedy sketches, celebrity interviews, and musical performances primarily by new and current artists signed to a major record label. The late-night talk show format was popularized, though not invented, by Johnny Carson with The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson on NBC. Often late-night talk shows feature a desk, behind which the host sits to interview guests. Many late night talk shows feature a house band which generally performs cover songs for the studio audience during commercial breaks and occasionally will back up a guest artist.

Late Night is an American late-night talk and variety show airing on NBC since 1982. Four men have hosted Late Night: David Letterman (1982–93), Conan O'Brien (1993–2009), Jimmy Fallon (2009–14), and Seth Meyers (2014–present). Each iteration of the show was built around its host, and maintained distinct identities aside from the title. The longest-serving host to date was O'Brien, who hosted Late Night with Conan O'Brien for 16 years, from September 1993 to February 2009.