40 Unforgettable Talk Show Moments That Went Down In TV History

Talk shows have been a key part of American TV for more than seven decades now. And there’ve been some truly unforgettable incidents on them down the years. So, without further ado, here are 40 of the most memorable talk show moments ever screened, from Kanye West’s bizarre ranting to Craig Ferguson’s outrageous flirting and David Letterman’s absolutely shocking on-air confession.

1. Richard Branson soaks Stephen Colbert

British billionaire Richard Branson appeared on The Colbert Report back in 2007. The owner of the Virgin brand was supposed to be plugging his Virgin American airline but Colbert concluded their chat before he had a chance to namecheck it. Frustrated, Branson shockingly chucked his mug of water at the host. Thankfully, Colbert had his revenge when he got a crew member to bring up a bottle of water and “accidentally” soak the business mogul.

2. Conan trolls NBC

When Conan O’Brien was effectively sacked by NBC in favor of a returning Jay Leno, he wasn’t too happy about it. But the red-haired funnyman got some payback by lavishly wasting NBC’s cash on a short sketch. O’Brien brought in a Bugatti Veyron — the world’s most expensive car — and put it in a mouse outfit. He also blared out the original version of The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction,” all at a cost of $1.5 million!

3. Shaquille O’Neal picks up Kevin Hart

When Kevin Hart appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, he started making cracks about retired basketball legend Shaquille O’Neal. For one thing, he joked that O’Neal had nothing to do fill his time and was now resorting to “helping people in Home Depot.” Big mistake, as O’Neal was actually backstage and then entered the set to lift the tiny Hart up above his head!

4. Mimicking Murray

Bill Murray was a Letterman regular and was probably one of the funniest guests he ever had on. Murray often appeared in costume and for the show’s 20th anniversary he pulled out all the stops. The actor arrived at the series’ New York studio in a white Rolls-Royce, dressed as Liberace in fur and a cape. Awesome!