LateNighter graphic
Late-night TV fans aren’t hard to shop for—unless you wait until the last minute. If the clock has caught up to you, take comfort: there’s still time to give something smart, specific, and unmistakably on-brand. From must-own books to gifts that lean all the way into obsession, here’s a last-minute guide for the late-night TV devotee in your life.
Books for the Late-Night Literate
Dozens of books about late night have been published over the years—oral histories, memoirs, coffee-table tributes, and deep dives into specific shows or eras. But 2025 was an unusually strong year for the genre, with several standout releases that meaningfully expand the late-night canon.
For fans who like their comedy contextualized—and their gifts substantial—this is a particularly good place to start. And with many available via overnight shipping, you’ve still got time to order.
At the center of the pile is Susan Morrison’s Lorne: The Man Who Invented Saturday Night Live, the most comprehensive portrait yet of SNL’s creator and longtime steward. It’s joined by Mark Malkoff’s Love, Johnny Carson, an affectionate, obsessively researched exploration of Carson’s legacy and the lingering pull he still holds over late night. (Full disclosure: Mark hosts LateNighter’s Inside Late Night podcast.)
Visual storytelling is equally well represented, with two photo books that neatly bookend Saturday Night Live’s visual history. Edie Baskin’s Live From My Studio traces the show’s graphic language back to its earliest days, while Mary Ellen Matthews’ The Art of the SNL Portrait examines the modern era—and how a single image can come to define an episode.
Basement Studio Chic
What better way for the late-night obsessive in your life to channel their inner Rupert Pupkin than with a life-size cardboard cutout of their favorite late-night host—or, if you’re feeling generous, all of them?
Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Fallon, and Seth Meyers are just a handful of the stars available online in cutout form from a site called (appropriately enough) celebrity-cutouts.com. The site says all are available with next-day shipping—making them a genuinely viable last-minute gift. Deployed as décor, a photo prop, or a permanent fixture in a home “studio,” they’re equal parts gag gift and badge of devotion.
DIY Schweddy Balls
Here’s a last-minute gift that doesn’t require overnight shipping—just a little comfort in the kitchen. Bake up a batch of holiday-themed dessert balls or truffles, pair them with a label reading “Pete’s Famous Schweddy Balls,” and you’ve got a DIY gift that will instantly register with any Saturday Night Live fan of a certain vintage. It’s festive, referential, and just risqué enough to feel like you’re getting away with something.
You can create the label art yourself, or purchase a downloadable version on Etsy, print it at home, and affix it to a tin or box. The result is a gift that feels thoughtful and handmade, even if it comes together at the eleventh hour—and one that rewards the recipient for knowing exactly where the joke comes from.
Blue Index Cards
Photos: CBS, NBC
Though decidedly understated—and, not for nothing, inexpensive—any true fan of late-night talk shows will instantly recognize and appreciate the significance of the oversize blue index card. It’s one of those objects that barely registers to casual viewers but carries real meaning for anyone who’s spent years watching hosts glance down, reset, and hit the punchline.
As a gift, it’s both practical and playful. Pair it with a box of sharpened pencils and call it “a talk show host starter kit.” Easy to find, easy to wrap, and impossible not to get, blue index cards may be the most deceptively perfect last-minute gift on this list.
The Ultimate Flex: A Custom Cue Card from Wally Feresten
Photo: Shilpa Iyer
If you want to go big—or deeply nerdy—commission a custom cue card from NBC cue-card legend Wally Feresten. Feresten has led Saturday Night Live’s cue-card department for more than 30 years and also doubles as Seth Meyers’ cue-card guy—and on-air sidekick—on Late Night with Seth Meyers. In other words, he’s as authentic as it gets.
Feresten sells personalized cards through his site, cuecardsbywally.com, and before your order ships, he’ll send a photo of himself holding the finished card—perfect to print out as a stand-in if timing is tight. For an extra charge, the physical cue card can also be shipped overnight. A favorite personal joke. A fake talk show intro. “Live From [Your Town]…” with their name on it. Frame it, wrap it, and you’ve just won the gift exchange.