The Arsenio Hall Snub

Recently a change to the host of The Tonight Show sparked a report by NBC news anchor Brian Williams, in which he made a list of the names of all the late-night talk show hosts. The list was long and included everyone from Carson Daly to David Letterman. The list was provided to show the variety and competition in late-night television; however, the discussion excluded the returning veteran of late-night Arsenio Hall. The exclusion was not overlooked and none other than Arsenio Hall himself pointed out the mistake.

The Arsenio Hall Show made its return to late-night in September of 2013. The Arsenio Hall show was a popular part of the late-night lineup with his memorable catchphrase "Let's get busy!" The show garnered much success thanks to the guest and the ability of Hall to discuss controversial topics with ease.

The Arsenio Hall Show and his band otherwise known as "The Dog Pound" became a well-known part of the urban good night. In 1994, after years of good ratings and reviews, Arsenio Hall and Paramount agreed to end the show. Many fans from that period were left wishing for his return.

Fast forward to today, The Arsenio Hall Show made its way back to the late-night lineup. Hall made his much-anticipated debut in September of 2013. The ratings of the show have dropped since the premiere, however, it is still a part of late-night television.

As the faces of the late-night filled the screen, the omission of Hall became obvious. The exclusion was the "elephant in the room" mistake Mr. Hall was not going to let fade away much like the Arsenio Hall fans grew to appreciate. The mistake became a conversation between Hall and his audience with a little humor and the assistance of guest Marion "Suge" Night. The news anchor did issue an apology to Arsenio Hall, but the mistake will not be forgotten anytime soon.

Written By

Sabrina Daniels