On Tonight’s Show: Check Out Your Favorite Late-Night Hosts Before They Were Men Behind Desks

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Who Am I?

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Jimmy Fallon, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon

We first met Jimmy, seen here enjoying junior year at Saugerties High School in upstate New York, on Saturday Night Live, where he cohosted the Weekend Update segment with Tina Fey. In 2009, Fallon succeeded Conan O'Brien as host of Late Night. And now, Fallon has taken over Leno's prime spot as host of The Tonight Show.

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Who Am I?

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Seth Meyers, Late Night with Seth Meyers

Meyers makes his late-night debut taking over Jimmy Fallon's former spot in 2014. Meyers formerly wrote and starred on Saturday Night Live since 2001 where he was the main anchor on Weekend Update. In light of his departure, he's since married Stefon and the two are very happy.

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Johnny Carson, The Tonight Show

In 1943, this well-groomed senior at Norfolk High School in Norfolk, Nebraska, had no idea he would go on to make television history as the longest (and most-beloved) host of NBC's Tonight Show franchise. During his run, Johnny gave a slew of comedians their big breaks and introduced characters like Carnac the Magnificant, Aunt Blabby, and a parody version of Ronald Reagan into the cultural zeitgeist.

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Jay Leno, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno

Seen here as a senior at Andover High School in Andover, Massachusetts, Leno got his late-night start guest-hosting for Johnny Carson. He took the helm of The Tonight Show in 1992 and remained there until 2009, when Conan O'Brien took over. Less than a year later, Leno returned as host after the awkward late-night war between him, NBC, and Conan O'Brien. Leno took his final bow on The Tonight Show in 2014.

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Conan O'Brien, Conan

Starting out on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons, Conan hosted Late Night with Conan O'Brien from 1996 to 2009. Recently, he has become late night's favorite underdog, moving to TBS after a public battle with NBC regarding The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Before all that, he was just another preppy senior at Brookline High School in Brookline, Massachusetts.

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Andy Richter, Conan

Before becoming Conan's self-deprecating right-hand man, this 1984 Yorkville, Illinois, senior showcased his sports prowess on the football team and even got voted prom king. Reassuring news for Team Coco if they ever need a starting lineman!

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Arsenio Hall, The Arsenio Hall Show

Between 1989 and 1994, America was gripped by a plague of fist pumping and loud whoops known as the Arsenio Hall Show audience. Way before that, Arsenio was a wide-collared senior at Kent State University in Ohio in 1978. In 2013, Arsenio revived the Arsenio Hall Show.

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Bill Maher, Real Time with Bill Maher

Voted Most Likely to Disappear Under His Own Hair, Bill Maher wasn't a slave to the razor back in 1974 at Pascack Hills High School in Montvale, New Jersey. He went on to host successful late-night shows Politically Incorrect with Bill Maher and Real Time with Bill Maher.

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Carson Daly, Last Call with Carson Daly

Seen here as a freshman at Santa Monica High School in California, Carson Daly got his start hangin' with the kids on MTV's TRL in 1998. These days, he hosts Last Call and The Voice on NBC.

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Charlie Rose, PBS's Charlie Rose

For the past 20 years, Charlie Rose has sat at a simple table against a black background and interviewed celebrities, politicians, and newsmakers on PBS. In 1958, he was a dapper senior at Henderson High School in Henderson, North Carolina.

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Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Kimmel Live!

Apparently, people really do live in Las Vegas! Jimmy and his family moved to Sin City when he was a kid, and he graduated from Ed W. Clark High School in 1985, dressing the part of a late-night host. After several years at Comedy Central, Kimmel moved to late night in 2003 as host of ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live!

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Jon Stewart, The Daily Show

Known then as Jonathan Leibowitz, Jon Stewart wasn't afraid to rock a sweet bob with bangs in 1980 at Lawrence High School in Lawrenceville, New Jersey. After a failed talk show and lots of acting gigs, Stewart began hosting The Daily Show in 1999 and remains America's most reliable source of fake news.

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Who Am I?

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Stephen Colbert, The Colbert Report

Stephen was dapper and ready for punditry even as a senior at Porter-Gaud School in Charleston, South Carolina. Starting out his late-night career as a correspondent on The Daily Show, Colbert spun off his own satirical news program in 2005.