Senator John McCain will make his first post-election TV appearance on the The Tonight Show this week, NBC said Friday.

The Republican presidential candidate is set to join The Tonight Show host Jay Leno on Tuesday in honor of Veteran's Day, the network announced. McCain is a former Naval officer and prisoner of war in Vietnam.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, picking a talk show over a news show for his first TV interview guarantees McCain a more lighthearted experience after his loss to President-elect Obama.

That McCain chose The Tonight Show instead of Late Show with David Letterman on CBS may have its roots in the campaign. Letterman repeatedly roasted McCain for canceling a September guest shot because of the economic crisis, finally relenting when McCain came on and said he had "screwed up."