Amber Ruffin: I didn't think there was a space for me in late-night Amber Ruffin hosts Peacock's "The Amber Ruffin Show." Watch CNN Original Series " . (CNN)When the first episode of NBC's "Tonight" show debuted in 1954, it had only one job: Be more interesting than watching nothing at all. In those days, "network television shows all ended around 11 o'clock," explains veteran comedy writer David Pollock in CNN Original Series "The Story of Late Night." Soon a flag would wave, a test pattern would emerge, and by the time the network went to static you knew it was time for bed.