Could Carnac the Magnificent have predicted this kind of Monday-through-Friday late night culture?

Johnny Carson is the standard-bearer and the decades that have followed his retirement from The Tonight Show have revealed an incredible public demand for stand-up comics who have the artful skill of conversing with celebrities, athletes and wild animal wranglers in ways that makes for entertaining television. We watch in delight at how today’s leading comics interpret the day’s news, get the exclusive Hollywood scoop, as well as humorously engage in trending activities. After Craig Ferguson’s departure from CBS’s The Late Late Show, the network had some work to do. Competition is fierce from NBC and ABC. This choice was critically important. At least you know they’d never leave something like this up to chance…

Actually, the real Golden Ticket in late night television is being named Jimmy or James (Jimmy Fallon, Jimmy Kimmel, James Corden and James “Jay” Leno).

I better start working on my jokes and interviewing skills…