I'm sure the hoards of you who are reading this right now absolutely love Jay Leno and David Letterman and all the other funny men of late-night. And that's great. But where are all the women? Not since comedienne Stephanie Miller's low-rated late-night talk show in 1995 have any female comediennes been given the opportunity to headline an after-bedtime talk/variety program.

Sure, daytime talk has seen its share of successful women. Rosie O'Donnell, Caroline Rhea, and Ellen DeGeneres have found varying shares of success with their syndicated variety/chat shows. But take a look at the last six decades of late-night talk: Paar, Allen, Carson, Leno, Letterman, Snyder, Kinnear, O'Brien, Kilborn, Kimmel...all of the successful hosts have been noticeably male.

While I certainly appreciate the comedy of men such as George Lopez, Tim Allen, and Steve Harvey, it is clear to me that the networks need to inject a good dose of estrogen into their late-night programming.

I'm not saying the networks should give new shows to women simply for the sake of having a woman host--no offense to Ellen Cleghorne, Sarah Silverman, or Brett Butler, but I just can't picture any of them holding their own in the late-night arena. However, there are many funny, talented women out there in the world of comedy, and I believe they deserve to be seen and heard more prominently. Allow me to profile a multitude of genuine suggestions for your consideration.

First is stand-up comedienne Margaret Cho. Many of you may remember the American Comedy Award winner from her 1994-95 ABC sitcom, All-American Girl. Cho blends a refreshing combination of individualism and assertion into her comedy routines, reflecting on her lifelong experiences of breaking ethnic and cultural stereotypes. She draws strength from having found her own unique identity after being raised in a family of traditional Korean immigrants.

In recent months, Cho was among Hollywood's most vocal supporters of former presidential candidate Howard Dean. An outspoken bisexual, Cho has served as a positive role model for millions of LGBT youth. She is a self-described "pansexual," a spunky and compassionate proponent of the crazy concept that people should be proud of their individuality. Imagine what fun and vigor Cho could bring to late-night.
Visit Margaret's website at: www.margaretcho.com.

Another star-in-the-making is Kathy Griffin, former sidekick to Brooke Shields on the 1996-2000 NBC sitcom Suddenly Susan. Griffin also had a stint as a contestant (and eventual winner) on ABC's Celebrity Mole: Hawaii last year, allowing her to showcase her side-splitting quips and antics. Through these venues, the sassy redhead has more than proven that she can carry a show while busting the guts of audience members.

Some may find Griffin to be obnoxious, with her racy jokes and witty riffs on Semitic stereotyping. But I don't, nor do her many other television fans. Think of Kathy as the younger, hipper, Jewish version of Joy Behar. Griffin has a feisty, belligerent charm that deserves a much better exhibition than occasional, obscure prime-time gigs.

Find out more about Kathy at: www.kathygriffin.net.

Bonnie Hunt is another precious gem who deserves to gleam. Currently, Hunt stars in her own prime-time sitcom, Life With Bonnie, which has hit its stride on ABC. She also has the added experience of co-starring in several feature films, including "Jumanji" and "Cheaper By The Dozen."

Since her sitcom is half-improvisational, Hunt has integrated subtlety and tongue-in-cheek humor into her performances. Then again, that's probably her natural demeanor. She is a protégé of David Letterman himself, and several of her projects have been produced by WorldWide Pants (Letterman's production company). With her background in improv, Hunt could include quite a few funny skits and segments in between traditional late-night celebrity interviews. After Life With Bonnie concludes its run, CBS would be wise to snatch up Hunt as Letterman's future Late Show successor.

Learn more about Life With Bonnie at: www.abc.go.com/primetime/lifewithbonnie.

Wanda Sykes also deserves a decent shot at comedic fame. The comedienne recently starred in her own sitcom, Wanda at Large, which was unceremoniously canceled by Fox last November. Playing a political talk show correspondent, Sykes worked quite a bit of edgy satire into her show, doing "on location" interviews with common folk.

Spoofing various political issues ranging from slavery reparations to unemployment to school vouchers, Sykes brought a fresh, independent perspective to satirical social commentary. One of her promotional commercials last fall even featured Sykes, dressed in a burqa while superimposed behind a video clip of Osama bin Liden, mischievously whispering to her fans, "I don't think I'm supposed to be here." For whatever reason, Fox took her quip to heart, sending Wanda at Large on a suicide mission in a virtually unwinnable Friday night time slot.

Learn more about Wanda at: www.wandasykes.com.

I also enjoyed the comedy of Paula Poundstone, who was a regular celebrity panelist on the 2000-01 daytime remake of To Tell the Truth (hosted by Seinfeld's John O'Hurley). With an extensive background in stand-up, Poundstone always had something uproariously funny to say, which may have distracted from the game on To Tell the Truth, but was nonetheless entertaining. Unfortunately, Poundstone pled no contest in 2001 to allegations of child negligence due to her problems with alcoholism. Even if she puts her life back on track, it's doubtful that the mainstream media would ever depict Poundstone as anything more than a Rosie O'Donnell clone (especially since Poundstone both looks and sounds frighteningly like O'Donnell).

Latina comedienne Jackie Guerra has only mildly rebounded from her failed TV series, the WB's short-lived 1995 sitcom First Time Out. As the first Hispanic woman to star in her own series, Guerra saw her show cancelled after less than four months, despite her energy and vivacity. Since then, she has taken on dramatic roles in the 1997 feature film "Selena" with Jennifer Lopez and PBS's 2002 docudrama American Family. Still, this woman has great potential to become a huge comedy star. However, given the current state of the Industry, Guerra will need to snag herself some higher-profile comedy projects before she can drive her own late-night vehicle.

Last but certainly not least, a rather unconventional choice to become the first Queen of Late-Night is actress-turned-activist Alison Arngrim. From 1974 to 1982, Arngrim portrayed Nellie Oleson, the spoiled and vicious childhood nemesis of Laura Ingalls on the NBC TV drama Little House on the Prairie. In more recent decades, Arngrim has transferred her post-Nellie experiences into a successful NYC one-woman comedy routine.

She is also active in the battle against AIDS and HIV. Arngrim has been recognized for her tireless work with AIDS Project Los Angeles (APLA), Tuesday's Child, and the Southern California AIDS Hotline. After actor Steve Tracy (who played Arngrim's TV husband on Little House) died in 1986 from AIDS, she became a charity worker and advocate for APLA's food bank as well as AIDS education. Arngrim, a married heterosexual, has a loyal cult following in gay culture. There is even a NYC-based gay/lesbian comedy quartet whose members perform wearing blond ringlet wigs, calling themselves "the Nellie Olesons."

And for those of you who sympathized with "Half-Pint" Laura, relax--Alison Arngrim is good friends with Melissa Gilbert in real-life. In fact, I'm dying to see Arngrim be picked as part of the cast for the next season of The Surreal Life on the WB Network.

Check out what Alison's been up to by visiting her website, "Confessions of a Prairie Bitch," at: www.hgd.com/alison.

So with all due respect to Dave, Craig, Jay, Conan, and Jimmy--let's give some of these ladies the chance to shine!