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Tonight! with Steve Allen

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TV Series

The Resume

Why Tonight! with Steve Allen might be annoying:

    Before going national, it aired in New York as 'The Knickerbocker Beer Show.'
    One of its recurring bits was Allen mocking rock and roll by doing portentous readings of the lyrics to songs like 'Sh-Boom' and 'Be-Bop-A-Lula.'
    Allen often cracked himself up during the comedy bits.
    After Allen got a prime time variety show (1956), he split hosting duties with Ernie Kovacs for a season, then quit.
    Due to tape recycling, few episodes exist.

Why Tonight! with Steve Allen might not be annoying:

    It created the late night template of an opening monologue followed by chat with guests interspersed with comedy bits.
    Johnny Carson noted, 'All of us who have hosted the Tonight Show owe a debt of gratitude to Steve Allen.'
    The show often featured extended sets by jazz greats like Duke Ellington, Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk.
    It was heavily ad-libbed, with Allen noting, 'When we first started the show, I had no writers at all. None were needed.'
    David Letterman was a fan and imitated several of Allen's stunts (such as dressing in a suit covered in packets of cereal and being dunked in milk) on 'Late Night.'

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 8 Votes: 12.50% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 15 Votes: 73.33% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 17 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 57 Votes: 45.61% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 20 Votes: 60.0% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 22 Votes: 36.36% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 78 Votes: 62.82% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 20 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 20 Votes: 70.0% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 29 Votes: 55.17% Annoying