Jay Leno Getting The Boot.

[AwayWeGo]

Whoa !

Jay Leno is facing mandatory retirement.

They're showing him the door May 29, 2009.

I don't know from Show Business, but I can't help thinking the network is making (another) big mistake.

We'll see, eh ?

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[Karen G]

Bummer! I like Jay a lot better than Conan. I hope Jay gets another show on another network.

 

[dioxide45]

I thought that this has been in the works for a couple of years now?

 

[ricoba]

I thought that this has been in the works for a couple of years now?

You are right. This is not new news, they just announced an official last day for Jay today, May, 29, 2009.

Instead of Conan, NBC should have considered Craig Ferguson...Much funnier in my opinion than Conan. To me Conan is a red haired Letterman.

 

[Charlie D.]

I like Jay Leno and will miss his stand-up. He doesn’t have to depend on a filthy mouth to get laughs. After the networks have put their spin on the day’s news, I look forward to the news according to Jay to put things in their proper perspective. Jay is a very wealthy individual and may want to pursue his auto interests or get a jillion dollars for Vegas and other stand-up gigs. If he wants to retaliate and there is no covenant not to compete in his contract he could go to ABC and NBC could go from 1st to 3rd in the late-night ratings in a hurry. I think there is more to this behind the scenes than we know.

 

[BevL]

That explains one of his "Headlines" last week. It was some sort of printed material about him appearing on one of the other networks and he said something about "telling his future." I didn't get it until now.

I really like him, if I can stay awake, he's my preference over Letterman.

 

[DaveNV]

I've never understood Letterman's brand of "humor," and Conan Obrien is just plain insulting. Jimmy Kimmell is much funnier than either of those two. If Leno is being shown the door, I'll follow him wherever he lands. And I won't watch Letterman or Conan any more than I do now - which is basically never.

Dave

 

[Kona Lovers]

Leno is definitely funnier and more entertaining. Letterman gets on a topic or format and rides it into the ground. It may be humorous a time or two, but he doesn't know when to stop for some reason. Jay was definitely the best replacement for Johnny, but they're making a mistake dumping him.

Marty

 

[Icarus]

Leno made the decision a couple of years ago. I think it was the right decision. His show is getting tired, jokes and bits aren't that funny, but he's comfortable to watch.

Frankly, I think Conan is a genius. The other comic genius on daily TV is Stephen Colbert. They both proved it during the writers strike.

I like Fergusun, but not as much as either of these two. Kimmel, frankly, bores me. I liked him better on the Man Show with his partner. Of course most of that was male toilet humor, so I guess there's no accounting for taste.

-David

 

[pwrshift]

Leno to Conan seems like going from one extreme to the other. Leno does seem tired ... in fact I've gravitated towards Letterman in recent years. TV is my sleeping pill and they both put me to sleep quite frankly.

Brian

 

[UWSurfer]

I was reading recently Leno made the statement when signing his current contract that he felt most entertainers stick around too long doing late night talk and this contract term would be his last. NBC not wanting to have issues with it's franchise signed Conan for $46 Million a couple years ago to lock in tonight show's future. Then late last year, Leno had a change of heart and indicated he was still interested in hosting the (or a) show.

NBC thus had a problem. They've got a guy they've contracted with for a whole lot of money and they got Leno now saying he want's to go on. This has spurred a bidding war among the other networks because Leno gets big audiences for that time slot. The current buzz is he may wind up on ABC either co-hosting with Kimmel or bumping Kimmel back to the 12:30am slot. Reportely though all of the nets (except NBC) have been pitching offers. Leno himself has been very coy about his future, but drops hints on his show every now and again that he may wind up on another net.

 

[timeos2]

If they go ahead with the change to Conan its a big mistake. Taken in "best of" snippets Conan seems pretty good but on a nightly show basis he simply isn't very funny. Too much repetitive talk (if it wasn't funny the first time repeating it 5 times and jumping around doesn't suddenly make it so), too much mugging for the camera for forced laughs and overall a boring performer. I much prefer Jimmy Kimmel to Conan. No use for Letterman and haven't seen enough of the other two to know if they are any good or not. Leno is the man of late night right now and that isn't likely to change in May 2009. Of course NBC has managed to become the #4 network with this type of move so they will plow ahead I'm sure.

 

[Cathy in Boston]

Conan is way way funnier than Leno.

And Letterman is funnier than anyone.

 

[UWSurfer]

Saying who's funnier is like saying which pizza is best. Tastes differ.

The proof is in the ratings (or sales) numbers.

 

[AwayWeGo]

And Not Only That . . .

Saying who's funnier is like saying which pizza is best. Tastes differ.

The proof is in the ratings (or sales) numbers.

. . . Wagner's music is better than it sounds.

( Hat Tip for that observation to Mark Twain. )

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[timeos2]

Heck - I remember when Saturday Night Live was funny. Watched it lately? No. Don't worry, no one else is either. MAD TV is far better (and that isn't saying much). TV comedy is usually geared toward the lowest common denominator. Most sitcoms prove that. Once in a great while an accident occurs and Seinfeld, the six episodes of the original Police Squad! or Second City TV (the original 30 minute version) slips through, but those are really flukes. I didn't even like Carson but many people did. Leno has grown on me and is my choice if I get the remote. Heck I can watch the 24hr Law & Order stations if they put Conan in that spot.

 

[Timeshare Von]

I think Jay Leno has a case of the "FAVRE" retirement itch . . . he clearly said he would be retiring in 2009 and told NBC as I recall. Tsk tsk tsk if he changed his mind.

With that being said, I think Conan sucks and while I will channel flip through and watch Jay, I won't with Conan . . . not now and not in the future either.

 

[Timeshare Von]

Heck - I remember when Saturday Night Live was funny. Watched it lately? No. Don't worry, no one else is either. MAD TV is far better (and that isn't saying much). TV comedy is usually geared toward the lowest common denominator. Most sitcoms prove that. Once in a great while an accident occurs and Seinfeld, the six episodes of the original Police Squad! or Second City TV (the original 30 minute version) slips through, but those are really flukes. I didn't even like Carson but many people did. Leno has grown on me and is my choice if I get the remote. Heck I can watch the 24hr Law & Order stations if they put Conan in that spot.

LOL and I thought I just lost my humor over the course of 25+ years . . . and the influence of outside substances too

 

[AwayWeGo]

The Carson Show Band Was Superb -- Maybe The Best Ever.

I didn't even like Carson but many people did.

The Tonight Show Band With Doc Severinsen was truly outstanding.

Dave's band, with Paul Shafer leading & playing pipe organ, & with Alan Chez on trumpet, is pretty good also.

Ditto the Max Weinberg 7 on the Conan show.

All those guys can play. So can the guys on Jay Leno's show, but not nearly so much personality comes through in performance as with the other bands. So it goes.

In the liner notes packed with with a post-Carson CD by Doc Severinsen -- Swingin' The Blues -- Doc says the 1st guy he hired for the Carson Show band when the gig started was Tommy Newsom.

"Tommy," Doc said, "I got this great new big-band gig on NBC television. It's 5 nights a week in Burbank, California. Great contract & great pay. I want you to come out there with me & be my lead alto sax player."

"Gee, Doc, that's great." Tommy said. "But, Doc -- I'm not an alto sax player. I'm a tenor sax player."

'I know," Doc said. "I don't want a lead alto player who sounds like a lead alto player. That's why I want you to be my lead alto player."

The rest is history.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[ricoba]

Alan, your reference to Doc Severinsen, got me thinking about Jack Sheldon. I am quite sure that Jack occasionally played on the Tonight Show.

You may be very interested in the current documentary about Jack, Trying to Get Good,

 

[AwayWeGo]

Leno Show Moving To Prime Time Next Year.

Click here for the story.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.​

 

[BevL]

That's interesting. I like to "stay up" to watch Leno but would much prefer to watch his monologue and schtick until 10:30 until midnight, then I can toddle off to bed as I prefer. I'd like to think I'm not alone - the older I get, the harder it is to stay up that late.

We use our PVR almost exclusively so it really doesn't matter what time shows come on.

It might be a very good move for NBC. I guess time will tell.

 

[Phill12]

That's interesting. I like to "stay up" to watch Leno but would much prefer to watch his monologue and schtick until 10:30 until midnight, then I can toddle off to bed as I prefer. I'd like to think I'm not alone - the older I get, the harder it is to stay up that late.

We use our PVR almost exclusively so it really doesn't matter what time shows come on.

It might be a very good move for NBC. I guess time will tell.

Well then you will like the good news on CNN today!

Jay Leno just signed a $30 million dollar contract to start a new show at 10 pm five nights a week on NBC.

Talk was this was cheaper than these losers NBC has been running like Night Rider that no one watches. Also keeps Leno and it was stated he is the most important late night person on tv.

Was also stated that NBC was afraid ABC would give Leno a show at 11:35 that would kill the Tonight show so this keeps him with NBC and give them a chance during prime time for something that makes a profit!:whoopie:

This will also help the Tonight Show because no one knows how it will do after the change in May!

I know that the replacement to me isn't funny in anyway except for his stupid looking hair. :hysterical:

Others might feel different.

PHIL

 

[Karen G]

Jay Leno just signed a $30,000.00 dollar contract to start a new show at 10 pm five nights a week on NBC.

Maybe I'll be able to stay awake for the whole show now. And I think his contract was $30 million.

 

[Phill12]

Maybe I'll be able to stay awake for the whole show now. And I think his contract was $30 million.

Your right, after watching all our tax money go to the bailouts thirty million dollars was so little I couldn't remember how many zero's!


PHIL