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.