Arsenio Hall

With his infectious laughter, cool vibe and willingness to book unexpected guests, Arsenio Hall redefined everyone's idea of late night television. Starting his career as a stand-up comedian, Hall made a name for himself as Eddie Murphy's snobbish personal aide in the blockbuster comedy "Coming to America" (1988). He then amped up his star factor as a frequent guest host on the fledgling "The Late Show" (Fox, 1986-88) after its star, Joan Rivers, was fired from the program. In 1989, Hall took the late night show landscape and infused it with attitude as host of "The Arsenio Hall Show" (syndicated, 1989-1994). Unlike other play-it-safe late night talk shows, Hall's show was geared towards a younger, more urban audience. Thanks to his dynamic musical guests, unapologetic interviews, and his signature "Whoop, whoop, whoop!" fist pumping chant, Hall's show quickly rose to the top of the ratings game. Hall maintained a lower profile after his talk show went off the air in 1994 due to declining ratings. However, nearly 20 years after it first left the airwaves, "The Arsenio Hall Show" returned to late night in September 2013, proving the multi-talented funnyman was just getting started.