Originally Posted By DlandDug Jay Leno has announced he will step down as host of the Tonight Show in 2009. He will then be replaced by Conan O'Brien. Hardest working man in show business? Johnny went 30 years on the Tonight Show. Leno will have been there only 17. Hmph! (And O'Brien better be prepared to arm wrestle Jay in 2009. Look at what happened to David Letterman back in '92!)
Originally Posted By Shooba Talk about planning ahead. There were rumours of CBS or other networks trying to woo Conan as his contract expires soon, so this is obviously a way for NBC to keep their lock on him. Conan is definately worthy to take over The Tonight Show. Leno can be funny, but I generally find his humour to be fairly bland, and too "safe", in order to appeal to a wide variety of viewers. Yeah, that's his job, but he isn't as cutting edge as he might otherwise me.
Originally Posted By Jim in Pasadena CA Retiring in 2009 -- mark your calendars. Leno has always seemed like a 'fill-in' host of The Tonight Show. He never really made it his own. And Conan O'Brien going mainstream? Good luck buddy. Letterman rules.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 <<<Letterman rules>>> Add a couple thousand !!!!!!! to that statement! Leno leaving in 2009, do we have to wait that long?
Originally Posted By Shooba Letterman is great, but can be soooo tedious to watch, because of all of his little idiosyncrasies. Definately better than Leno though. The funniest thing on The Tonight Show is the bit with the funny headlines, taken from real newspapers. If your funniest bit is something you didn't make up, it's not good.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 I was just going to say - but Carson perfected that. What has Leno brought? Jeez, I sound like I really got a case on Leno. Not really. I barely watch him. I just find him kind of flat and unoriginal.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN How quick times flies!!! Has it been already 17 yrs since Bette Middler ran off the Tonight Show stage in tears!!??
Originally Posted By Shooba >>>I just find him kind of flat and unoriginal.<<< That sums him up nicely. Moderately entertaining, but not someone who inspires passionate fandom. He's the John Kerry of late night talk show hosts.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan The other thing Johnny perfected was announcing his desire to retire. NBC answered with truckloads of cash. Could this be some sort of contract ploy?
Originally Posted By Lisann22 <<<The other thing Johnny perfected was announcing his desire to retire. NBC answered with truckloads of cash. Could this be some sort of contract ploy?>>> You also realize that announcing Conan as the next successor only means it'll be someone else... Flashbacks to Dave Letterman anyone? Maybe it'll be Craigh Kilbourn, he's available now.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan >>Has it been already 17 yrs since Bette Middler ran off the Tonight Show stage in tears!!??<< Nope, that was in 1992, 12 years ago. What a great sendoff she gave to Johnny Carson.
Originally Posted By ecdc 2009? Thanks for the heads up. Actually, if it all plays out like this, it'll be tough to decide between Conan and Letterman - both are hilarious. At least right now, as soon as Dave ends, I can hit that remote button to get to Conan before I'm poisoned by Kilborn (how did it take so long before CBS realized he wasn't funny?)
Originally Posted By Jim in Pasadena CA I liked when The Late Show after Letterman was hosted by Tom Snyder. Tbere was something folksy and old-fashioned about his show that I liked. Then again, I used to listen to Tom Snyder on the radio.
Originally Posted By meowthew Good news all around. Leno is fairly bland and overrated while Conan is edgier and can actually be very entertaining.
Originally Posted By Lisann22 I lay bets Conan will not be the next host, call it the Letterman curse.
Originally Posted By Shooba But how much of Conan's edginess will be lost in the move to 11:35? The Tonight Show is bland, partially to appeal to as wide an audience as possible. In the 12:35 slot, the stakes aren't as high, and Conan can afford to be more edgy. Will we see a Masturbating Bear at 11:35 on NBC? Uh, can I say that on LP? Letterman's 11:35 show isn't a lot different than his 12:35 one was, but it's not a ground-breaking convention-defying show like his original was. He has played things a little safer.
Originally Posted By Jim in Pasadena CA Hey, if you can show erectile dysfunction medication TV commercials on primetime and that other one with the woman talking about 'her man' and how great he perfoms when he takes this other medication, then I think 'Masturbating Bear' is okay. Then again, maybe not...
Originally Posted By arstogas >>>Hardest working man in show business? Johnny went 30 years on the Tonight Show. Leno will have been there only 17. Hmph!<<< Johnny never really built any kind of family, and never had that virtue in him... great host, definitely. But Jay is noted as a family man, a guy who likes to get out there with people. My guess is, if he does step down, he and his wife will enjoy retirement with whatever family they've sired.
Originally Posted By Kar2oonMan Jay Leno was much "edgier" before he got the Tonight Show gig. Used to be a regular on David Letterman's Late Night, too. Leno was the first to point out TV's shopworn plot device of the "evil twin" (in which a wholesome lead character gets to ham it up as a "bad guy" for an episode) which is a phrase most everyone uses today. Bland or not (I prefer Letterman and Conan), he has enjoyed the higher ratings in the course of the Tonight Show/Late Show wars.
Originally Posted By Jim in Pasadena CA <But Jay is noted as a family man> I don't think Jay has any kids, unless you want to count the 1938 Duesenberg and 1957 Chevy Bel Air. While Carson did have a series of disastrous marriages, he did have three sons [one died in 1991]. Maybe that's not what you meant by 'family' per se.
