Leno's good-bye versus Carson's

[Pasquali56]

I do like Jay Leno and certainly understand why NBC is hyping his last week in late night to death: One to get big ratings, and two to promote his new prime time gig. With that said, I think any comparisons to Carson's last week are crazy.

When Carson left his show, it was to leave TV/show business for good; it was a true retirement. He was a private, enigmatic figure and was rarely seen in public afterwards. There were some Carson sightings at various tennis events, but I can't recall him making any appearances on TV after his retirement. His fans knew this was to be the case prior to his last week, which made the final shows all the more emotional for everyone -- including his guests.

Leno is a different story completely. Not only is he not retiring, but he's going to be even more visible with his new prime time slot. I assume he'll have many of the same guests and routines.

Again, I've always liked Leno. I saw him do stand up in New York before he was well known -- and he was great. I also appreciate all the work he does for community service (like his recent free appearances in Ohio). But for those who never saw Carson, he is not Carson and it's pretty ridiculous to compare their final days in the Tonight Show slot (again, realizing that it's all about promotion and hype).

[theblondewritr]

Completely agree pasquali! Though I never got in to Jay as a host after Carson's departure. It just didn't feel right any more.

I do believe this is the worst Late Night debacle of all time!

[Slappynipsy]

What happens if Prime Time Jay and Tonight Show with Conan flops? Will they fire Conan and put Jay back on the Tonight Show?

[qualitycontrol]

What happens if Prime Time Jay and Tonight Show with Conan flops? Will they fire Conan and put Jay back on the Tonight Show?

No.

[Slappynipsy]

I don't think they'll sit through the poor ratings Conan had when he started Late Night. Not that I think that will happen, I'm just curious what the reaction would be if it did.

[suzeaa]

I'm looking forward to George Lopez' new late-night talk show this fall.

I only watch any of the others if there's a guest on I really, really like.

[Code7Films]

Carson was the man. Always was and always will be.

[Madbandit]

What happens if Prime Time Jay and Tonight Show with Conan flops? Will they fire Conan and put Jay back on the Tonight Show?


I think Jay will flop (a daily show on primetime is pure suicide), but Conan will be okay.

[Sinnycal]

Conan has a rabid fanbase that Jay has never really enjoyed.

[strophariad]

Carson Daly retired?

[theblondewritr]

Carson Daly retired?
lol-No, he's the one that won't leave. ugh!

[alitel]

I don't think they'll sit through the poor ratings Conan had when he started Late Night. Not that I think that will happen, I'm just curious what the reaction would be if it did.NBC will snatch that Abrams fella and get themselves a borderline improvised storyline.

lol-No, he's the one that won't leave. ugh!Didn't they kick him out of studio?

[Miko34]

Johnny Carson will always be my favorite Late Night talk show host. Letterman is close second.

Leno did a fine job as well, though yeah ... no real emotions about his last Tonight Show. He quit a job to get another. That's all there is to it.

On a side note, I think Craig Ferguson is underrated. He's much better than Jimmy Fallon and Carson Daly by far, though I admit it's too early to judge Fallon. Kimmel is pretty funny too, though I can only take so much of him. We'll see how Conan does. I didn't like him in the beginning of his career, but he improved over time.

[roscoegino]

The issue with Leno for me was that his monologue delivery seemed too one linerish, too corny. Not in what he said but in how he brought it across.

Kimmel is much more off the cuff, which is what I like. Ferguson's cool too. Never much cared for Conan. None of them can match Letterman's Groucho Marx like wit.

And Fallon?

Fallon sucks.

[alitel]

On a side note, I think Craig Ferguson is underrated. He's much better than Jimmy Fallon and Carson Daly by far, though I admit it's too early to judge Fallon. Kimmel is pretty funny too, though I can only take so much of him. We'll see how Conan does. I didn't like him in the beginning of his career, but he improved over time.I think Ferguson runs laps around them easily, I read the guy improvises his entire monologue.

[WriteByNight]

Leno's goodbye vs Carson's? No contest. Leno couldn't empty Carson's ashtray.

[wcmartell]

Contracts! Everybody has 'em.

That's why Jay said goodbye to 11:35 - his expired.

Conan has a contract that will keep him in place, even if it takes him a while to catch on (which I don't think will happen - I think the Letterman move forward by an hour was a great idea, because as those young college kids get older, they go to bed earlier... and their favorite host being on earlier makes it seem like they're still rebels without early bed times. This *may* help the Leno 10pm movie, but...)

I think we have too many hours of guys behind desks, and we are programmed to think of 10pm as a drama hour. That will kill Leno.

If Leno were smart, he's burn the desk. In fact, he should have done that on his last show. Taken an ax to it, then torched it.

And at 10pm - no desk. No interviews. Just a variety show - with Jay doing a monologue, then music and comic and other performance guests and skits. Like Dean Rowan & Martin.

- Bill

[suzeaa]

I think Ferguson runs laps around them easily, I read the guy improvises his entire monologue.

I do like Craig Ferguson, too, but sometimes the skits are a bit too much.

He is great with the guests and I enjoy his monologues. And his accent.

[TheKeenGuy]

If Leno were smart, he's burn the desk. In fact, he should have done that on his last show. Taken an ax to it, then torched it.

And at 10pm - no desk. No interviews. Just a variety show - with Jay doing a monologue, then music and comic and other performance guests and skits. Like Dean Rowan & Martin.
Both Jimmy Kimmel and Carson Daly tried to buck the format in various ways when their shows started, and slowly, both shows came to exactly resemble all the others. So, there MUST be market-testing that has shown that the current late night talk show format is the only successful one.

And the variety show attempts have failed again and again in the last couple decades.

[wcmartell]

Daly ditched the desk. He does remotes from interesting locations now.

Leno is going to be a variety show with or without the desk - that's what the Tonight Show is, more or less. I think the problem is at 10pm we expect a whole different kind of show...

- Bill

[suzeaa]

Both Jimmy Kimmel and Carson Daly tried to buck the format in various ways when their shows started, and slowly, both shows came to exactly resemble all the others. So, there MUST be market-testing that has shown that the current late night talk show format is the only successful one.

And the variety show attempts have failed again and again in the last couple decades.

Ever see 'Fernwood 2night'? LOL And I liked 'Larry Sanders', too.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IgD32TVWaQ&feature=related

Both were well done spoofs of the genre.

'Chelsea Lately' is a little bit different, in that she has a kind of round table discussion for the first half, with different comedian guests (or even the writers from her show), then goes and sits down with someone else for a one-on-one.

[Pasquali56]

The whole thing is very interesting and raises a lot of questions. Such as:

Will Conan retain the more mainstream Leno audience -- or will many of those viewers defect to Letterman?

Will Leno in prime time actually hurt or help Conan's numbers?

Only time will tell.

[Madbandit]

And the variety show attempts have failed again and again in the last couple decades.


Great point. Remember "Rosie Live"? Then again, who would....:cool:

[SI_NYC]

I'm looking forward to George Lopez' new late-night talk show this fall.

I only watch any of the others if there's a guest on I really, really like.


A George Lopez talk show is going to be a bear for these other shows to compete against. It would seem that there would have to be a shakeout among the late-night talk shows before long, with this many shows on and George Lopez hitting the scene.

This might also be true of daytime talk-shows, does anyone have any decent ideas for talk shows that could be consolidated/merged?

The first one that comes to my mind is that Maury could be the most in demand performer in daytime, the possibilities of how many shows that could use his DNA Tests reveal the Dad segments are almost endless!

[WriteByNight]

Daly ditched the desk. He does remotes from interesting locations now.

Leno is going to be a variety show with or without the desk - that's what the Tonight Show is, more or less. I think the problem is at 10pm we expect a whole different kind of show...

- Bill

something tells me Leno's new gig will tank. It seems like a project designed merely to pacify either him or the network or both.

[Slappynipsy]

What happens if Prime Time Jay and Tonight Show with Conan flops? Will they fire Conan and put Jay back on the Tonight Show?

Who called it?
(points thumbs at chest)
right here.

[billythrilly7]

Who called it?
(points thumbs at chest)
right here.

You didn't call it. You asked.

"I bet Jay's show tanks and they put him back on at 11:30."

That's calling it.

Jay is a jerk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GxGsHl2g9k

What happened Jay?

[Bono]

Did you (general you) forget how he got the job in the first place? It was supposed to be Letterman's. And unlike Carson he refused to have guest hosts.

[Slappynipsy]

You didn't call it. You asked.

"I bet Jay's show tanks and they put him back on at 11:30."

That's calling it.

Jay is a jerk.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GxGsHl2g9k

What happened Jay?

Don't snake my glow brother... I'm not right much

[NikeeGoddess]

slappy called it!

[dog678]

Ha, too bad my main man called it almost 4 years before Slappy ever thought of it.

Here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxcAAb60lik