This diploma thesis deals with the media representation of celebrities, as it is designed within the framework of the adopted American television format of the late-night talk show. In the first part of the thesis, attention is focused on problems of understanding of the phenomenon of celebrities by various authors, as well as on the development of the late-night talk show itself and its characteristic features. The theoretical starting point is the theory of representation (Hall), three levels of representation (Trampota) and social construction of reality (Berger, Luckmann). The method of critical discourse analysis is chosen for the research and the four principles for the analysis are described: commoditization, infotainment, personalization, congeniality. The practical part presents an analysis of the typical representation of celebrities due to the principles mentioned above in selected talk shows which were broadcast in English and Czech languages in 2015-2016, namely American The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Czech Jan Kraus Show. Keywords: Celebrity, Late-night Talk Show, Media Representation, Personalization, Congeniality, Infotainment, Commoditization

Television has often been considered a safe haven for female performers, especially comedians. But in fact, women have often been marginalized – narratively and institutionally – within the medium of television. While there has been a promising increase in the number of creative and professional opportunities afforded to women in TV, there is one arena in which women have historically been, and continue to be, excluded: late-night comedy. As the first female late-night talk show host, Joan Rivers is central to the history of broadcast television and American comedy. While some (but not much) work has centered on Rivers’ impact as a comedian, little of this research has contextualized her career through the industrial frameworks of late-night broadcasting. From starting out as a standup comedian, to becoming Johnny Carson’s permanent guest host in the 1980s, to acrimoniously splitting with Carson and NBC for the opportunity to host her own late-night program, Rivers creatively performed her gender in order to differentiate herself as the singular female host in late night. From a feminist media studies perspective coupled with a historical analysis of Rivers’ professional trajectory in late-night comedy, this thesis will uncover the systemic, personal, and gender-specific factors that contributed to Rivers’ initial success, yet ultimate exile from late night.

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