MovieChat Forums > The Jay Leno Show (2009) Discussion > My Final Word on Jay Leno

My Final Word on Jay Leno

posted 14 years ago by maxtheanonymousmoose
8 replies | jump to latest

This is why Jay is an ass:

The Tonight Show is/was a great show. He had a great run. But it can't last forever. Why not give someone else a chance? He has more money then he can ever spend. He has no children. He has no life. Conan or Rosie or David or Collin or Jimmy (or the other Jimmy) would all like a chance too. Read the LATE SHIFT. He threw Letterman under the Bus. He wouldn't let Rosie O'Donnell guest host (like Joan Rivers for Carson). It is all me, me, me, me...and he was #1. And the Tonight Show was a sucess...but share the spotlight.

Carson took over for Paar or took over for Steve Allen. There was a progression. Carson did not wait till he was old and irreleveant. He went out on top. The franchise, the show, is more important that one person, but Leno won't leave. He has done the Tonight show for 16-17 years! That is a long time. Move on. Do something else. Like your Pal Jerry Seinfeld leave, and give someone else a chance? Be generous. Give other comedians a chance to shine, allow a guest host to get popular so they can take over.

But no. Jay is a selfish a-- who must control it all. So now it is back to the Tongiht Show. Where, he will probably be #1 again. But for how long. The man is 60 years old! (he turns 60 in April) 5 more years? 10? When he is 70 will he go away? When he does go away (or die at his desk) what will he have to give back? What will the Tonight show be. A damaged franchise with no heir apparent and people (younger viewers) watching Conan or whomever on another network.

It reminds me of the Roman Emperor so afraid of death that he puts nothing in place for his orderly sucession. Everyone dies. Everyone goes away. Nothing lasts forever. So JAY wins...he ruined Conan. He beat Letterman. He kept O'Donnell off a show you dreamed of doing...he hurts Fallon...but he WINS! I hope he is happy. He will leave a wasteland at 11:30 on NBC and a once great show that will have no one good to replace him.

SAD

[–] cbfan41 14 years ago

Obviously you did not read "The Late Shift" because Letterman was just as divious and cuthroat about it as Jay was. The difference was Jay understood how to play the game better especially when it came to being a team player for the network. Thanks for trying to be a revionist historian though!

[–] angelx 14 years ago

From what I know about Letterman, he'd be the kind of guy who'd NEVER stab people on the back but on the front. He has way too much decency to stab you in the back. He'd at least give you the courtesy to tell you to get out of his way or he'll hurt you.

[–] Emininity 14 years ago

NBC was about to give to Tonight show to Letterman when Leno was struggling, but he declined...I guess stabbing a back stabbing bastard in the back is beneath him.

You live your life with the storms outside

[–] cbfan41 14 years ago

Emininity,

You are completely mistaken. First of all, Leno was very solid his first couple years for taking Carson over. There were two problems:

1. His nut agent, Helen Kurshnick. He was loyal to her because she help make him a star and get the show. But her strong arm tactics were completely insane including sending a live audience home for a big show they were going to do after the Republican convention in 1992. That along with several other incidents (double booking Dave's guests a huge no-no) broke the camel's back. NBC laid down the law, either she goes or he loses the show.
2. NBC didn't want to lose Dave. He been such a star there for so long they were trying to think of ways of enticing him to come back or at the very least, milk him for every hour they could. So they offer him the gig, under very specific conditions. He didn't get the show for like 2 years after their offer and he only get it if Leno ratings stayed the same. If Leno's ratings pick up at all, Dave would sit on the bench until Leno fell off. Then even if he did get the show, it be for less money then Leno got and he under the gun IE if he sucked in the first year....there was a loophole they could buy him out.

It was this time at Orvitz who orchasted the whole deal (and an absolute genius) told Dave his best option was his first one. Bolt to CBS where he could become the flagship for the entire network, he can stay in NY (which he perferred), more money/points, more support and above all, the ability to own his show. Dave smartly listen to him and Carson who told him to walk too and be his own man.

That is why Dave turn down the offer from NBC. It was a crap offer! Had nothing to do with looking like he was a "back stabber".

[–] p3guard 14 years ago

Well said, cb. Some of that I didn't know.

[–] normich_chris 14 years ago

cbfan41-You are completely mistaken. First of all, Leno was very solid his first couple years for taking Carson over.

That is not true. Leno was tanking in the ratings until he had Hugh Grant on after his incident with a prostitute. It took 15 months for him to get his ratings up.

[–] candace76 14 years ago

I don't think Leno cares about anything except "winning" and being #1. He bragged about being #1 the entire time he was, and then he wonders why Letterman won't speak to him. His "Why can't we be friends?" crap is just a load of bull.

[–] maxtheanonymousmoose 14 years ago

O.K. - I lied.

In response. Yes I read THE LATE SHIFT. Great book. It was wrong though because Letterman intially beat Leno and it declared Letterman the winner. Leno mentioned it in his acceptance sppech for an EMMY in 1994 (?) saying they would now have to change the ending of "that book"...

LENO hid in closets. Leno was vicious and ruthless. Letterman studied tapes of Steve Allen and Jack Paar and really respected Carson and wanted to replace him and yes wanted the job badly. Leno did not thank Carson. Leno wanted to be #1. He is obsessed. It is really sick. It is not about the money. It is about having something and making sure nobody else has it...

In 5-10 years as Leno gets too old for the fake high fives and dopey humor...then what? That was my point. Then what? A failed franchise destroyed by one man's ego.

He had a good run. He was #1. Now he returns to a damaged franchise hated by fellow comics and the media elite. Will the average fan return? Maybe. We will see...But Jay, sir, NOBODY lives forever...