Last Call with Carson Daly (2002–2019) User Reviews (34)

Worst long term late night talk show ever?

[Maniac-9 · 3/10 · 9 February 2012]

Last Call with Carson Daly definitely seems like a serious contender for worst late night talk show not counting shows that completely choked like the shows with Pat Sajak and Chevy Chase. I believe that NBC views his show as long as he doesn't streak the stage and blurt out racial slurs that they'll keep him where he's at since it's such a low priority show that couldn't care less who's hosting it. It's basically just a show to fill a time slot to them.

But seriously his attempts at humor always fall flat, the dude just doesn't have any natural comedic talents. He's a decent enough guy so I won't go out of my and say he's unlikable he just isn't a very interesting person.

It doesn't suck that bad.

[tokyostreetkiller · 3/10 · 14 July 2007]

Maybe the best part of the show is the fact that it creeps up right after Conan O'Brien and Late Night's fans are all of a sudden unsuspectingly watching Carson's show. Carson Daly can't hold a candle to Leno, Letterman, O'Brien or any other late night talk show host, and Last Call seems to miss more than hit in this hit and miss genre. The shows only redeeming quality is that it's so short. But, I wouldn't call it crap. Carson Daly is sincere and doesn't hide the fact that his show isn't great(that honesty is actually helpful here), while some of Last Call's skits and material seem to be stolen, they still find the mark sometimes. Actually, some of Carson's montages have been quite entertaining, and the skits occasionally have their moments of decent comedy.

As an interviewer, Carson is okay, even with only one guest, not exactly late night material but still above the level attained by a high school AV team. However, he doesn't have the quick wit that makes Conan so hilarious. I do not like his musical guests, but that's more because I am not a fan of that kind of music so, I'm not holding it against him.

On to the house band. I don't know Joe Firstmans band and wouldn't compare them to the CBS Orchestra, the Tonite Show Band with Kevin Eubanks or the Max Weinberg 7. Even Cleeto and the Cleetones are better. But, Firstmans band mates do still the show in my opinion. Especially the Alto Sax player that sometimes shows up (he has long dark hair and sunglasses and is always playing in the upper register), if anything, watch the show for him, I do.

In summary, this show isn't even worth a full bag of kibble n' bits. But it does have an audience, and appeals more to the younger "mtv generation". If you don't have cable and are up at 1:37 am, there really isn't much more to choose from and, surprise surprise, there is worse out there in that time frame. So, if you're waiting for Poker After Dark to come on, 30 minutes of Last Call wont kill you during the wait.

Painful

[Bigyin · 16 May 2003]

I just finished watching this show filmed live in Las Vegas, and it was painful. Carson has no humour, nor does he have any interviewing skills. The show had many of those "uncomfortable silence" moments where you felt uncomfortable even watching it from home. A true interviewer like Jack Parr, Johnny Carson or David Letterman can continue an interview regardless of the interviewee and their inane answers. Carson Daly does not have this ability. He's been on the air for a while now, so if the ability was going to show itself it would have already. Jon Stewart had the same problem, but he worked on it and achieved a good style. Carson has yet to do this. There's a reason that this show is on at 1:30am.

Worst Late Night Show Ever

[youngbonzi · 1/10 · 19 May 2006]

I don't think I've ever gave something a 1/10 rating, but this one easily gets the denomination. I find it hard just to sit through one of his jokes. It's not just that the jokes are so bad, but combine that with the fact that Carson Daily has zero charisma, can't set up or finish a punchline, and you've got a late night comedy recipe that will really turn your stomach.

I have watched the show, never in its entirety, but many times still. It just creeps up on me after Conan. I usually watch a minute or two just to see if Carson daily is still the worst talk show host ever.

Actually if you ever do see him interviewing a guest, it's just that, an interview. I feel so sorry every time he has a guest on and their confused smiles try to mask their body language that's screaming, "get me the hell away from this freak!" I do recommend watching the show, not for a laugh, but to ponder, how he got on the air and what he's still doing there. Watch as much as you can, I think you will find its complete awkwardness...interesting.

This show is terrible!

[whimsicalflautist · 1/10 · 23 May 2007]

Carson Daly has to be the only late night talk show host that isn't a comedian. What was NBC thinking! He's not funny! The writing is horrible to! All of the sketches are painful to watch. The current new karaoke isn't funny at all, especially since he tells you what they are going to sing before they sing it! The escalator interviews is just stupid and needless to say not funny at all. All he jokes, especially during the monologue, are the least clever, dumbest, not funny jokes ever put on television! I mean, anytime he makes a Jessica Simpson joke he ends it with "because she's stupid," which cancels out any funniness that was in the joke, which was already very low. Any 3 year old could have come up with any of the jokes and sketches they put on this lame excuse for a show. Seriously, don't watch this show, unless you're on the edge of suicide and want something to push you over the edge.

Worst late night show in the history of FOREVER

[youarebummy · 1/10 · 4 October 2007]

Nothing Carson Daly has EVER said or done on this show has EVER made me laugh, or even smile a little. I DO NOT understand how this show has survived for so many years.

Even the "funny" band member is just like one of those kids in high school who thinks nobody is good enough to even look at him. Daly and that dude are just arrogant frat boys. It seems like they don't even try to be a little funny.

AWFUL AWFUL AWFUL show.

It makes my soul cry.

I just cannot stress enough how AWFUL this show is. Don't watch it. But if you absolutely have to, I recommend clawing your eyes out and clogging your ears with cement beforehand.

Waste of TV slot

[master-stghm · 1/10 · 23 July 2007]

Before Last Call w/ Carson Daly, my local NBC affiliate aired much more worthwhile programming after Late Night w/ Conan such as second city TV, 3rd Rock From the Sun & Carline in the City reruns, and some stand up comedy. These days there is nothing worthwhile to watch because all I get to see is Carson Daly and his awful show. He is not a comedian, he is not an actor, he does not deserve to be famous because he isn't a good speaker nor comedian.

On his June 21st show, he tried to use an internet meme called the "Rickroll" on his show. He failed hard. That event confirms that Carson Daly is awful.

Utterly horrible

[LinkinSixEcho · 1/10 · 22 October 2009]

For a while when I was in-between jobs I had a habit of watching all the late night talk shows. For a while I had a good selection: Conan, Leno, Letterman, Ferguson, Kimmel...

Until I reached the 1:30 a.m. time slot. The time between Conan and X- Files, on SciFi. And the only show on at that time was (and curiously still is) Carson Daly.

His show intrigued me at first. Youngish, casually dressed, and with the hip pedigree of an MTV host, I thought Carson would bring a younger aesthetic to late night. I couldn't have been more wrong.

He has no comedic timing. His jokes are plainly unfunny, and his monologue a painful affair of self-conscious babbling. I began to think he simply wasn't capable of delivering comedy (and I am right, he isn't), but it became obvious over time that the writers on the show must have had it in for him. The writing was idiotic and much too overreaching and the skits screamingly bad. And towards the end of the show being in-studio, the writers had Carson drinking alcohol on the set with gusto on every show, an oblivious Carson grinning from emaciated cheek to emaciated cheek as he sloshed his way through interviews.

Zero interview skills. None. He tries to be friendly/chatty, but ends up being boorish and rude. He talks too much. He cuts off his guests. He asks them rude or embarrassing questions -- if he can find a question to ask them at all. And as someone had already pointed out, the guests literally stare at him or squirm in their seats, clearly uncomfortable.

Now the show has left the studio and looks as though it were shot on one handy cam. Even still, Carson refuses to take the hint from NBC. At one point, Carson didn't even get a camera man, he had to film himself for an episode! Wake up, Carson...that handwriting is all over the wall.

I see the show is produced by Carson. I can only imagine that is the reason it is still on the air, he pays for it himself.

Carson Daily Control Freak?

[eelder1 · 1/10 · 18 December 2006]

He seems to be a control freak. I have heard him comment on "losing control of the show" and tell another guest who brought live animals that he had one rule-"no snakes." He needs to hire a comedy writer because his jokes are lame. The only reason I watch him is because he some some great guests and bands.

I watched the Craig Ferguson show for a while but his show is even worse. He likes to bull sh** to burn time.I don't think either man has much of a future in late night talk shows.

Daily also has the annoying habit of sticking his tongue out to lick his lips. He must do this at least 10 times a show. I do like the Joe Firstman band. Carson Daily needs to lighten up before it is too late.

Avoid at all costs

[jmcd2007 · 1/10 · 27 October 2018]

Like Alec Baldwin, Carson Daly is completely incapable of hosting a good late night talk show program. Alec's show, for example, which just debuted, had one of the worst recent premieres in ABC's history...and that's telling. If ABC has any common sense at all, then they'll rightfully cancel it. As for Carson Daly, I'm completely baffled as to why this trainwreck has survived for so many years. He has no chemistry and his jokes and interviews constantly fall flat. It's really too bad because he was great on TRL and seems to do really well over on the Today Show. Late night programming, however, is definitely not his forte.

Best New Music Interview Show on TV

[adonisnudes · 10/10 · 3 December 2013]

This is not supposed to be a variety show. It's an informative interview show. It's a great way to discover new artists and it's shot with a great gritty style. Kids are idiots and they don't get it. It's not for tweens or people glued to Clear Channel's generic radio sound (although they do cover people like Miley Cyrus from time to time). The bad reviews are all from boring kids who want to see "the dancing monkey" like Kimmel, Ferguson, Conan and Leno.

It's definitely geared toward the Alternative and College Radio crowd, which is great. We need our fix too. The intellectually curious are served more than the Two and a Half Men crowd.

Phoenix from the Ashes

[jamjohnx3 · 7/10 · 25 May 2019]

Last Call with Carson Daly gets a bad rap because it's really two different entities going by the same name. When Last Call started, Carson Daly mimicked every other late night show: studio audience, inhouse band, monologue with terrible jokes, etc. He did what everyone else did but worse and at an even later time slot. He also happened to be the TRL guy, and that garnered its share of hate.

Then in 2009, the show went on the road and stayed there. This documentary style was a paradigm shift that left all the fluff behind. The show found its soul. Now the show focuses solely on interviews and band performances. Outside of intros and outros, Carson's involvement started to dwindle. If you want your post-midnight interviews and performances sans monologue, skits, and host interjection, this may be your show. Admittedly it's made on a shoestring budget which is probably why it was able to go on so long, but that's part of its cheap charm. I've discovered music from the acts that got their TV debut on this show, so it'll always have a place for me.

Last Call may be on its way out but it will always be an interesting and unique entity in the late night space.

Music on the show

[kelmyers-42404 · 1/10 · 14 September 2018]

Please...can you find any worse bands in America and shove them down people's throats? I mean, once in awhile, an average to good band might be on this show, but at least 80% of the bands are so bad!! I wonder alot when I watch this show, do they really think that this is good music? Omg...

This Show is Horrible

[top_jimmy69 · 11 April 2003]

This show sucks big time. I watched it for a while but got tired of carson asking everybody on his show what they thought about having stories made up about themselves and posted in the tabloids. This would be fine if he was interviewing a tabloid queen like J.Lo but it's always his first question and usually most of the interview.

The show gets good guests who have a story to tell and since the show is on late at night they can tell some of the stories but Carson takes over the show with his obsession will rumors that get published. So if you like the types of celebrities that Carson has on his show but actually want to hear their stories watch Kilbourn or Kimmel, but if you enjoy the same interview every night watch Carson.

Why is this show on TV?

[coachshaineptr · 1/10 · 21 October 2017]

Never been a Carson Daly fan, but tried to give him a shot. Man...NBC, if you're reading this, give Carson a desk job in some corner sharpening pencils or something and cancel this crap. Why is this show still on TV? I have seen the ratings, which suggest that it should have been canceled a while ago.

Show makes me NUTS!

[betsytozzini · 1/10 · 21 April 2017]

I see that there have not been many reviews in the past few years.....maybe they have all stopped watching the show. The timeframe of the show is not appropriate.......music is abusive for the timeframe and for the line up of the programming. Put this show on the teen line up during late afternoon and stop ruining my late night lineup. And please get him to stop wearing that stupid black hoodie.....what's that all about. I truly believe he has a relative who got him this job. He's terrible, ruins my night. Guess I have to start changing the channel for a half hour.....like most other people have done. Worst show ever. Just realized I do work in the house during the time this show is on, just to avoid it. Also realized I'm contributing to his ratings, which I definitely don't want to do. He should be off the air. He will be in my house!

Like a middle school kiss...

[kylevandermeer · 1/10 · 7 August 2017]

I felt less awkward having my first kiss in the 7 grade (almost 30 years ago!) than I do watching this sh**show of a program... Please find a new hobby Carson! Dear God this is a horrible waste of NBC's money! Are these even real bands or did you just wrangle a group of meth heads to come play instruments they have never seen? WITAF!!!

Last Colostomy w/ Carson Daly

[jjperry-3 · 10/10 · 29 September 2006]

Wow...what a horrible show. Why would you put Carson Daly on after something funny like Conan? there needs to be some sort of buffer between shows to come down off the high of actual comedy, then let you down a little easier. Here would be a better lineup, Conan-then an infomercial -then those multicolored vertical bars that say "off the air"-then Carson Daly. The previous opinions are much more entertaining than last call. I like the the one that brings up how excellent an interviewer Carson is. Unless his guest is female, which for some reason turns him into an awkward kid on prom night trying hard to dazzle his date. But whats funny for all the wrong reasons is his horribly written/delivered monologue. After each self proclaimed "funny" he tells, he usually looks around desperately to see if anybody laughed. On the rare occasion somebody does, he will bust out laughing at his own sad jokes. SAD. At least when Byron Allen got his show, and Byron decided to be funny, he knew he wasn't. BUT!, he was brilliant enough to surround himself with some legendary funny people.

Are they serious?

[etown7 · 10 January 2002]

Carson Daly should only be on tv for the kids who come home from school and want to see their favorite music videos on MTV. NOT for the late night audience who doesn't care about MTV and cares even less about the vj's who are replaced every few years once they reach the hip age limit. Should I assume that "Last Call" is the beginning of a transition for Carson Daly to legitimate television and movies? I certainly hope not, and here's some more news for you Carson... Pauly Shore has already run your gig into the ground and is now accepting plum roles like "man in trunk" in such prestigious films as "The Wash" with Snoop and Dr. Dre. No offense to Snoop and Dr. Dre, but the movie really stunk. I blame the writers. As for Carson Daly, let's just hope "Last Call" is really his last call to any show other than TRL.

Proud of You

[burdettemeyers · 10/10 · 5 November 2023]

I've noticed you since the 90s. I'm sure we are about the same age. Anyway, I way surely Impressed to see you land the Morning Show gig. I was in a similar situation. I spent 10 years of my life working for a 3rd party to a fortune 500 company. I was informed that the position was becoming permanent & was so excited to accept the position. Unfortunately there was someone (currently employed by the company) that has eyes on the position as well. Long story short, I was not selected for the position. Unlike you, my life was changed for the negative. I'm super excited that you were able to land you dream job (whatever the cost). Keep your head up, move forward, and be positive no matter the situation. I'm proud of you Carson.

Uncomfortably horrible

[stnly124 · 14 May 2005]

I have watched this show twice. I never new it existed until flipping through channels one night. Carson is an awesome MTV host, but a HORRIBLE late night host. In a show I watched he continuously talked about the flowers and how well they were arranged for the musical guest. NO ONE CARES!!! The music sucked and we don't watch TV to see flowers. He makes jokes the audience fails to laugh at, leaving us at home uneasy trying to watch his amateur performance. The only thing good about his show is when he knows something he says is not funny, he keeps his mouth shut and does not try dig his hole deeper. Even his guests look uncomfortable as he makes feeble attempts to interview them. Maybe he is on drugs and in his own world where everything he says is funny. NBC must be in the same boat for keeping him on air. I am a big fan of Carson, but he is just too dull for late night talk show.

Since you've been gone...

[SpruceLee · 10/10 · 26 October 2022]

...I've struggled to find new bands making interesting music who deserve a forum like, Last Call, gave to many. Regardless of where this show started, it morphed into food for the soul of those who consumed it. The reviewers who slam this show have the attention span of gnat; how long did, Henry Ford, take to find success, which came with the letter, "T?" All preceding letters were failures, discarded. So much music that I now have and listen to came to me via, Last Call. Even at the end of the run, and with Carson playing a minimal role, the core of the effort remained and provided great, live performances that you will struggle to find anywhere, now. Sure, you can go to YouTube and get great examples of what I refer to, but the fact is, if you don't know the band(s) you're not gonna find the videos regardless of where you look. Carson, did that for me, Daily.

Thanks, Carson, for the good work. Any time you wanna return with, Last Call v2.0, I'm watching.

Unoriginal

[olivesareyum · 6 February 2002]

I have to agree with the only other reviewer - is this supposed to be a joke? Carson Daly was just fine catering to a bunch of fifteen year olds and talking about the latest Limp Bizkit and Kid Rock videos on MTV's "TRL," but as a late-night talkshow host, he is completely unoriginal, not to mention totally annoying. The only reason I stayed up to watch it is because his slot is after Conan O'Brien's. I have watched the show a few times, and I can't believe how impolite and rude Daly is to his guests. And you thought Jay Leno was bad? I was embarassed for Jason Schwartzman when he was recently a guest on the show, because he literally couldn't get a word in edgewise. Daly took it upon himself to continually insult and interrupt Schwartzman, and it was just really, really bad TV. Secondly, Daly just simply is not funny. He tries to be cool and seem like he is really "down" with his guests, but he looks like a fool and tries way too hard. And as a huge fan of Conan O'Brien, it isn't hard to tell that Daly occasionally rips off some of Conan's humor techniques and tries to nonchalantly pass them off as his own unique brand of humor. Any fan of Conan's will agree that the reason that Conan is so funny is because he 1) appeals to those who are self-deprecating and who don't mind laughing at themselves, and 2) his style is therefore completely original, because his phrases and jokes come off like they are inside jokes, like he's talking to some of his friends and you just happen to have the privilege of listening to the conversation, and understand enough to know that it's really funny. I notice Carson Daly literally taking some of the nerdy phrases and funny body contortions that Conan uses and trying to incorporate them into his monologues or interviews with his guests, much like Conan does. Except, it doesn't work, because Conan is funny, and Carson isn't. Bottom line: Believe me, if Conan wasn't obligated to promote Carson's show because it is on the same network, then you KNOW he would be ripping on Carson's show all the time.

The voice

[krshepard-82980 · 10/10 · 4 October 2023]

Carson Daly is the best person to be with the family rooting for contestants!!! He does a great job at encouraging the contestants and their families behind the scenes. The voice is a great show and Carson Rooting for the contestants makes the show very entertaining and dramatic.

The Voice is a very good platform for artists to display their talent and Carson Deli is a great encourager of real talent and abilities. They showup throughout the show. The the voice is great for that encourages of raw talent and abilities. I encourage any upcoming artists to audition to be on the Voice it is about as is a grave show and it's very entertaining.

Carson Daly definitely should not have his own show.

[shybaldbuddhist · 5 April 2006]

Last Call with Carson Daly is perhaps the most boring television show I've ever watched. This show should be cancelled, or NBC should replace this sorry excuse of a host with some who can actually entertain people. Daly is not funny, and, to me at least, he comes across as a jerk. He's quite rude, and he almost always interrupts his guests during interviews.

This show is not entertaining in the least. It just isn't fun. There isn't a funny monologue, nor any enjoyable jokes, and the skits are just plain stupid. The actors are horrible, they've no timing, and all great entertainers need to have excellent timing.

Besides watching Carson Daly make a complete idiot of himself, I don't know what the point of watching Last Call is. I do not recommend this show to anyone. So, unless you just need to waste some time, take my advice, and don't bother watching it.