The United States' favorite talk-show host has been revealed, and it's not Jimmy Fallon
The United States' favorite talk-show host has been revealed, and it's not Jimmy Fallon
Charl WrightSat, November 14, 2026 at 10:00 AM UTC
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The Mirror US readers have voted for their favorite talk show host -Credit:Getty Images (Getty Images)
The Mirror US's readers have spoken and revealed their favorite current talk-show host.
Late-night talk shows are a staple in the American entertainment sphere, with their hosts becoming household names not only in the States but across the globe, too. And although their television viewership appears to have dropped off over the years, they have seen a resurgence on social media, with millions of fans watching clips from the shows every day.
The core major late-night shows are hosted by five familiar faces: Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers, Jon Stewart, and John Oliver, who all mix elements of entertainment with political satire and updates from the day's news agenda.
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Sadly for the group, one of the group's key members, Stephen Colbert, went off-air earlier this year. The 62-year-old hosted The Late Show for 11 years before CBS retired the program. However, the United States still has a plethora of hilarious and talented talk-show hosts, and our readers have chosen their favorites.
At the time of writing, Seth Meyers is in fifth place, with no votes. Seth, 52, hosts Late Night with Seth Meyers on NBC, which has been running since 2014.
Seth Meyers has been hosting his show since 2014 -Credit:AFP via Getty Images
He is best known for his long-form satirical news segment "A Closer Look" and relaxed, conversational interviews with comedians and actors. The show is also incredibly popular with viewers, drawing in nearly one million people per broadcast episode. It also has approximately 10 million followers across social media, including on YouTube, where millions tune in to catch "A Closer Look."
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In fourth place was John Oliver with 4% of the total vote. The British comedian's show, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, airs on HBO every Sunday, and rather than standard celebrity interviews, his show focuses on deeply researched, comedic deep dives into systemic social and political issues.
Last Week Tonight draws roughly 300,000 to 400,000 live linear viewers on HBO, while attracting 60 to 78 million views per month on YouTube. And on social media, the show has approximately 14.5 million followers/subscribers.
Next was Jimmy Fallon, who garnered 10% of the votes. Fallon hosts The Tonight Show on NBC, an award-winning program that is the longest-running talk show on television.
Jimmy Fallon came in third place -Credit:Todd Owyoung/NBC via Getty Images
Under current host Jimmy Fallon and house band The Roots, the show is widely known for party games with A-list guests. Segments like "Lip Sync Battle," "Wheel of Musical Impressions," and "Box of Lies" regularly generate millions of online views and have even spun off into their own television series
It has 1.38 million viewers per episode and a total of 127 million combined followers across its social media platforms.
In second place was Jon Stewart, who was chosen as the best late-night talk show host by 19% of The Mirror US's respondents. Jon hosts Comedy Central's The Daily Show, a news satire and talk programme that parodies current events, politics, and the news media.
Jon Stewart is one of America's favorite talk show hosts -Credit:CBS via Getty Images
It pulls in around one million viewers per episode and has a combined total of 56 million followers on its social media channels.
That means, in first place, is Jimmy Kimmel, Donald Trump's arch-nemesis and host of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!, who gained 67% of the vote. In addition to bringing on celebrity guests, the show often addresses current events, mocking the Trump administration for its multiple controversies.
2.45 million to three million people per episode watch the show, and it has over 31.6 million followers across YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok.
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
