Alec Baldwin’s MSNBC talk show ‘Up Late’ sinks to new low in ratings

Paul Drinkwater / NBC

On air for: One season. Cause of cancellation: Despite then-"Tonight Show" host Conan O'Brien's distaste surrounding NBC's plan to move "The Jay Leno Show" to "Tonight's" time slot, the network went ahead with its decision, eventually announcing a $45-million settlement to end O'Brien's contract and reinstating Leno as host of "The Tonight Show." (O'Brien was Leno's successor after Leno initially retired from "The Tonight Show.") Most memorable moment: Leno's long-time interest in vehicles transferred to the show with a segment called "The Green Car Challenge." A few times a week, different celebrities would drive an electric Ford Focus, trying to set time records on a 1,100-foot outdoor track. Where he is now: NBC announced that Leno would be leaving "The Tonight Show" in 2014, with Jimmy Fallon as his successor.

Nam Y. Huh / Associated Press

On air for: One season. Cause of cancellation: O'Donnell exited with extreme gratitude to the OWN Network after her show was canceled due to low ratings: "Oprah [Winfrey] gave me an amazing shot at doing this. She really did. She put me back on TV. She believed in me," she said from the show's Chicago set in a video posted on YouTube. O'Donnell added that her attempt to re-create her Emmy-winning talk show from the 1990s fell flat. Most memorable moment: After an on-air fallout with co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck on "The View" and a seething memoir that followed, a toned-down O'Donnell returned to television in a classy way. Where she is now: O'Donnell is still involved in R Family Vacations, a vacation entertainment company that caters to the LGBT community.

Damian Dovarganes / Associated Press

On air for: One season. Cause of cancellation: Comedy Central canceled the show six months in after Hughley failed to capture audiences. Most memorable moment: Hughley often drank wine and smoked cigars on air with his guests. Where he is now: Since "Weekends at the D.L.," Hughley has found success as an on-air radio personality in New York. In 2012, Hughley published his first book, "I Want You to Shut ... Up: How the Audacity of Dopes is Ruining America."

Gaylon Wampler / Associated Press

On air for: Two seasons. Cause of cancellation: "The Morton Downey Jr. Show" expanded to national syndication in 1988, but distributors had trouble marketing the show to television stations because of its controversial nature. Downey suffered a viewership decline in his second year as host, leading to cancellation in 1989. Most memorable moment: Downey enjoyed provoking his guests, once in a while to the point of physical altercation. In one taping of his show, an increasingly heated exchange between Al Sharpton and Congress of Racial Equality National Chairman Roy Innis resulted in Innis knocking Sharpton to the floor. Where he is now: Downey was diagnosed with lung cancer in 1996. The man who would chain-smoke throughout the duration of his show ended his membership with the National Smokers Alliance and became an anti-smoking activist. Downey continued to speak publicly against smoking until he succumbed to his cancer in 2001.

Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times

On air for: One season. Cause of cancellation: "The Ricki Lake Show," Lake's first return to talk TV since 2004, was nixed due to flat ratings. "Always the underdog. From 'Hairspray' till now, I guess. I'll take it," she tweeted after the cancellation news broke. Most memorable moment: Lake received a Daytime Emmy Award for outstanding talk show host in 2013, despite her show's untimely end. Where she is now: She most recently made the news in the summer of 2013 listing her Brentwood estate on the market for $8.75 million.

Jay Paul / For the Los Angeles Times

On air for: Almost three seasons. Cause of cancellation: While the primary reason was low ratings, Carlson stated that his network, MSNBC, had changed and "they didn't have a role for me." Most memorable moment: Carlson followed news overseas, broadcasting two episodes of the political debate show from London after the July 7, 2005, terrorist bombings. Where he is now: The conservative commentator moved on to co-host "Fox & Friends" and serves as editor-in-chief of the political news website the Daily Caller.

Bob Chamberlin / Los Angeles Times

On air for: One season. Cause of cancellation: Probst's aim to feature non-celebrities didn't snag a following. Most memorable moment: Probst injected spontaneity into the end of every show with "Ambush Adventure," a segment in which he surprised an audience member with a challenge. The challenges, which weren't revealed until the audience member agreed to participate, included a hot air balloon ride and calling an ex on national TV. Where he is now: Probst still hosts the reality game show "Survivor," which has been renewed for its 27th season.

Paul Drinkwater / NBC

On air for: One season. Cause of cancellation: O'Brien left his position on "The Tonight Show," unhappy with NBC's proposal to squeeze "The Jay Leno Show" before his to bolster ratings. (The move would have bumped "The Tonight Show" to 12:05 a.m.) "I sincerely believe that delaying 'The Tonight Show' into the next day to accommodate another comedy program will seriously damage what I consider to be the greatest franchise in the history of broadcasting," he said in a statement at the time. Most memorable moment: Whether holding a contest to find the worst car in America before blowing it up or literally driving his desk on set, O'Brien went all out. But nothing resounded deeper than when he picked up his guitar to play "Free Bird" for his "Tonight Show" farewell — a poignant ending after his conflict with NBC. Where he is now: Since 2010, O'Brien has been hosting the hour-long late-night talk show "Conan."

Patrick Downs / Los Angeles Times

On air for: One season. Cause of cancellation: The late-night talk show never reached a notable viewership level. Comedy Central pushed the show's time slot later and dropped its live audience before finally canceling it several months later. Most memorable moment: Steve-O ("Jackass" and "Wildboyz") came intoxicated to his on-set interview, yelling obscenities and tackling Carolla. Where he is now: Since 2009, Carolla has hosted "The Adam Carolla Show," a free podcast that set a Guinness World Record for most downloaded podcast.

Monty Brinton / CBS

On air for: One season. Cause of cancellation: Remini's contract was not renewed come Season 2. (In the photo, Remini, left, is shown during the premiere of "The Talk.") Though CBS did not disclose the reason for Remini's release, the decision followed heavy criticism that the "The King of Queens" star received for her impulsive behavior on the first week of the show. Most memorable moment: Remini teamed up with co-host Holly Robinson Peete for a green-screen-backed, dance-filled karaoke rendition of "I Will Survive." Where she is now: After a messy separation from the Church of Scientology, Remini joined Season 17 of "Dancing with the Stars" as a contestant.

Richard Hartog / Los Angeles Times

On air for: Two seasons. Cause of cancellation: Warner Bros. Television ceased production on the show due to struggling ratings. Hunt's focus on wholesome humor couldn't compete with shows more interested in the down-and-dirty. Most memorable moment: The episode when Hunt let Muppets Elmo and Abby Cadabby take over her show. Where she is now: Hunt returned to movies, voicing characters in Pixar films "Cars," "Toy Story 3" and "Monsters University."

Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times

On air for: One month. Cause of cancellation: The actor faced a two-week suspension after he allegedly used a gay slur to confront a photographer on New York City streets. Baldwin's heady outburst following MSNBC's move resulted in a permanent shutdown. Most memorable moment: Unlike most show sets, adorned with couches and a large host's desk, Baldwin's stage was a dimly lit faux diner scene. Where he is now: The prolific actor most recently portrayed a wealthy businessman in Woody Allen's newest comedy, "Blue Jasmine."