[Aries Walker]

USA Today has a (admittedly gimmicky) "Top Ten" list of who should replace Dave, and most of their Pros and Cons seem to make some sense.

Originally Posted by USA Today

With David Letterman retiring next year after a record run in late-night TV, speculation is already rampant about who will replace him on CBS's Late Show. We handicap some candidates.

1. Stephen Colbert
Pro: His contract is up in December; he's a star and well-versed in politics and entertainment.
Con: He'd have to give up his blowhard mock-conservative persona that made him famous and just be himself. Which might actually be a plus.

2. Jon Stewart
Pro: His Daily Show is more popular than Colbert's, he has a big base of influential fans and he's available as of mid-2015, when Letterman is expected to step down.
Cons: Stewart has tremendous freedom at Comedy Central, has said he has no interest in hosting a network talk show and claims celebrity interviews are the least favorite part of his show.

3. Craig Ferguson
Pro: He's the heir apparent whose show follows (and is produced by) Letterman, and a clause in his current contract "guarantees" him the chair -- or a payout.
Con: He's not well-known, his ratings are low and insiders say he's not being seriously considered for the gig.

4. John Oliver
Pro: He reportedly talked to CBS earlier and had great reviews (and solid ratings) for last summer's guest-anchor gig on The Daily Show.
Con: He signed a deal with HBO for a weekly late-night talk show that premieres later this month.

5. Ellen DeGeneres
Pro: She'd add gender diversity to late-night, she has a successful daytime talk show and an easy rapport with celebrities.
Con: DeGeneres is under contract for an extremely lucrative job, and has essentially inherited Oprah Winfrey's mantle as the queen of daytime.

6. Neil Patrick Harris
Pro: He's an awards-show veteran and a likable personality who has guest-hosted with Live with Kelly. And his day job on CBS comedy How I Met Your Mother has ended.
Con: He's on Broadway now, has appeared in movies and may not want to commit to a long-term contract for a daily talk show.

7. Chelsea Handler
Pro: She has late-night talk-show experience and just announced plans to exit her gig on E! later this year.
Con: The abrasive comedian is considered too edgy for CBS' mainstream audience.

8. Jay Leno
Pro: He's newly unemployed, has a solid late-night following that matches CBS' older-skewing audience and loves to work.
Con: Just two months ago, he vowed he'd never do another nightly talk show. But we've heard that before.

9. Conan O'Brien
Pro: He's also a late-night veteran with a loyal (and younger) core fan base.
Con: That fan base isn't big enough (as evidenced by his cable ratings), and he's seen as damaged goods after his heated Tonight Show exit.

10. Louis CK
Pro: He's a popular comedian with a beloved and scrappy cable sitcom. Presciently, a three-episode arc last season had his semi-fictional character vying to replace Letterman.
Con: He doesn't like suits, his career is going just fine and there's almost no chance he'd actually do it.

Source: http://www.usatoday.com/story/life/t...dates/7301729/