Think late-night TV is controversial now? Wait until you hear what happened in the 1970s

Late-night talk shows are a uniquely American invention that blend humor, the news of the day, and celebrity guests.

While Johnny Carson was not the first late-night host, he perfected the genre through trial-and-error during his 30-year tenure on NBC’s The Tonight Show, setting the standard for years to come.

As the longest-running host in the show’s 70-year history, he became a permanent fixture in the culture zeitgeist and a kingmaker and queenmaker, giving many comedians such as Joan Rivers, Drew Carey, and Ellen DeGeneres their big breaks.

Recently, late-night talk shows have been making headlines for unexpected—and possibly politically motivated—reasons, calling into question freedom of speech and media monopolies.

The announced ending of CBS’s offering The Late Show With Stephen