Probably because that's how The Tonight Show Starting Johnny Carson was set up, and subsequent late night talk shows have generally emulated its style and setup.
this post was submitted on 27 Mar 2026
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Hmm... did the Tonight Show desk-format change from what Steve Allen originally set up, or the Jack Paar period, before newcomer Carson arrived?
Jack Paar Tonight show
Steve Allen Tonight show
Both of which seem to have had a second chair to their left for guests or co-hosts, and the chair we think of today for the guest was the overflow. Possibly Carson standardized it.
TBH, I'd be pretty shocked if the arrangement actually originated with The Tonight Show. In Western-languages cultures (and others), I'm thinking it probably goes back close to the origin of a guest & a host appearing in front of an audience, which could go back... many thousands of years, really.
All things being equal, I would suspect TV simply borrowed from a traditional arrangement that came long before.
Fair enough, I just think the Tonight show probably had outsized influence.
*shrug*
That's an American thing right?
Have a look at Graham Norton, Parkinsons, The Last Leg, or The Jonathan Ross Show. People all over the studio.
Could be influenced by the way in English (and various Western languages), script flows from left to right, which has some influence in our scanning things left to right in general, such as imagery, comics, etc. In such a scenario, the host is like the familiar anchor at the end of the sentence.
Not saying this is the only or prime reason, but I imagine it plays a part.
Supposedly this is also the reason that most 2D platforming videogames scroll left-to-right.
The honored guest always sits to the right of the host.
It's been like this in European culture since the middle ages, and possibly much longer.
"He's all right." "My right hand man."
I don't know the origin, but my best guess is: You keep those you trust on your right so your shield isn't between you two.
Signalling that you want to protect your guest from others, not yourself from your guest.
Maybe for the same reason they have (or had) microphones on their desk: The shows started out just filming a radio program
Tradition basically
Remember her from years ago. She tried to break up the monotony.
That was very disorienting
Studies have shown that turning left during conversation puts you at a subconscious disadvantage. While turning or facing someone to your right adds dominance to what you are- im making this all up.
Hey can we actually start spreading this around? I have this amazing mental image of some self proclaimed alpha male type trying to get on my right side to talk down to me but I just keep rotating in place so he ends up circling me like a little puppy
Spread the word my brothers. Preach!
Coworker of mine told me about "The Invariant Right" –the concept of shoppers going always right, so you might be onto something. It could however all be made up as well.
Huh. I naturally go left. Interesting article, though.
I wonder if that's true in counties that drive on the left side of the road
Or for left handed people.. 🤔
I always thought it stood out when flipping through the channels that Larry King was on the left of the screen. Can't say I ever thought of him being on the other side until reading your question here, but that was the first thing that popped in my head.
I imagine it's more natural for right-handed people to greet their guests without their back on the audience. That, and because that's how Carson did it.
colbert and I think I have seen it with stewart to have had like a little intimate round table talk area.