Talk shows in the USA date back to the ‘50s. The very first American talk show was hosted by Joe Franklin on WJZ-TV. Since then, many shows have come and gone, each of them taking a different shape or format. It could be a group of people weighing in on different topics; culture, history, politics, and the likes, or a host mingling with guests. Having been around for such a long time, they sure do serve a purpose.
In the history of talk shows, NBC’S The Tonight Show reigns supreme. It’s been here since 1954 and is still ongoing. Its longevity is perhaps attributed to a change of hosts over the years. Shows like Jimmy Kimmel Live, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, and The Oprah Winfrey Show, which were/are hosted by individuals, do deserve their flowers for surviving the high tides of TV land. While these shows surpassed expectations, a few did not make it past the single-season mark. We compiled some of them below:
10 Kocktails With Khloé
Kocktails With Khloé first aired on the FYI cable channel in January 2016. The go-ahead for production was given in July 2015, and as soon as the announcement was made, production of the hourlong episodes began. Produced by Craig Piligian, the show had several guests, including Rapper Tyga, Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Trey Songz, and the Legends. The show had a total of 14 episodes. The last one aired in April.
9 Late World With Zach
Way before Zach Galifianakis won an Emmy for Between Two Ferns, his first attempt at hosting a talk show hit a wall. In the spring of 2002, Late World With Zach premiered on VH1. Hosted by Zach and his non-existent signature beard, the show made use of witty monologues and skits of red-carpet interviews. It featured guests like Bradley Cooper and Rhett Miller. It was canceled due to poor ratings.
8 Bethenny
Bethenny was a talkshow hosted by Bethenny Frankel. It was co-created by talkshow legend Ellen DeGeneres and aired across the United States and Canada from September 2013. The show was syndicated by FOX station group and was on CTV and CTV Two in Canada. Although it was canceled in May 2014, new episodes of the show kept airing until June 2014.
7 Thicke Of The Night
Hosted by Alan Thicke, the show premiered in September 1983. It was the first show to be syndicated for that season. It was meant to be a rival of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. When it went on air, it failed to match the ratings of its rival show. Its low numbers led to an ultimate cancellation, despite the team’s efforts to make it work. In response to the cancellation, Alan Thicke said that the show was ‘ ahead of its time.’
6 Kris
A product of FOX Network, Kris, hosted by the matriarch of the Kardashian-Jenner brood, premiered in July 2013. Aired on a trial basis, the show had a six-week run. Kris Jenner had some guests on the show. Celebrities who made an appearance include Denise Richards, Caitlyn Jenner, William Levy, Kim Kardashian, Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Ciara, comedian Joan Rivers, and producer Ryan Seacrest. Its most well-rated episode was an hour-long, and it featured Kris’ soon-to-be ex-son-in-law, Kanye West. When the trial period was over, the show was not granted a full season.
5 The Magic Hour
The Magic Hour was hosted by basketball phenomenon Earvin ‘ Magic’ Johnson. Syndicated in 1998, the show suffered low ratings, until an episode featuring Howard Stern spiked its views. That only lasted a while until ratings dropped. After an eight-week run, it was canceled. Magic blamed the cancellation of the show on black celebrities who refused to show up upon invitation.
4 The Wanda Sykes Show
In November 2009, The Wanda Sykes Show debuted on FOX. Comedian Keith Robinson starred alongside Wanda Sykes. The 21 episodes filmed included the appearances of several celebrity guests; Snoop Dogg, Nail Patrick Harris, Chris Rock, and Erykah Badu. The show’s final episode aired on April 24th, 2010. In May 2010, it was announced that the show wouldn’t be returning for a second season.
3 The Jay Leno Show
The talk show premiered on NBC in September 2009. It was more of a move to retain Jay Leno within the company, following his retirement from The Tonight Show. The show was received with harsh critic from all angles. A time swap with The Tonight Show saw the station face public backlash. After four months on the air, the show was canceled. Entertainment Weekly called it television’s “Biggest Bomb of All Time.”
2 Busy Tonight
Hosted on E! by Busy Philipps, the late-night show premiered in October 2018. It had a couple of executive producers, including Tina Fey. It had many guests, including Mindy Kaling, John Stamos, Kim Kardashian West, and Tracy Ellis Ross. The last episode of the show aired in May 2019. After 105 episodes, Philipps announced that the show was canceled, and she would be shopping it elsewhere.
1 The Martin Short Show
The Martin Short Show was a syndicated show that aired in 1999. It was hosted by Martin Short and his sidekick, Michael McGrath. Celebrity interviewer Jiminy Glick (a part played by Short) appeared regularly on the show. In 2000, the show was canceled after the single-season mark.