Jay Leno’s not feeling sorry for himself. Speaking to reporters today in anticipation of his May 29 “retirement” from The Tonight Show, Leno said he doesn’t expect to be emotional in those final hours before Conan O’Brien assumes his old chair. “It will be a smooth transition,” Leno promised. “It’s not like I’m leaving show business or leaving the network or leaving the lot. I’m just going to another studio on the other side.”
That cross-lot studio is where Leno will prepare for his new Monday-Friday show on NBC this fall. He’ll bring along some old Tonight Show favorites, like his signature monologue and “Jay Walking” segment, but he admits his challenge will be to keep the funny in the second half-hour of his nightly show. “My job is to give a good lead-in to the 11 o’clock news, that’s really where the local affiliates make their money.”
Speaking of which, Leno said he understood the frustration of Boston affiliate WHDH, which briefly considered whether to run Leno’s show out-of-pattern so it could air a local news shows of its own at 10, instead. “He was fighting for that long before I came on board,” Leno told reporters, referring to station owner Ed Ansin. “I had a nice talk with him.” The issue was resolved less than two weeks later.
Leno did hint about how he almost jumped to an 11:30 p.m. timeslot on a competing network like ABC (Fox was also reportedly wooing the NBC star). “I almost went there,” Leno said. “It’s sort of nice to have people flirt with you, but I didn’t get John Edwards close.” But 10 p.m. on NBC was far more alluring to the veteran comedian — even though he’s now competing against scripted dramas, not fellow comedians. Leno seems unfazed. “10 o’clock is the new 11:30 p.m.,” Leno said. “I hear people saying that I’m taking work away from dramatic writers. Look at FX and USA and all the other cable networks. There is more drama than there ever has been before. If people want to go there, they can go there. We’ll be at 10, where there are no laughs.”
The show should also save NBC some cash, Leno argued. “This was an economic decision as well. You can do five Tonight Shows for less money than showing one 10 o’clock drama.”
Leno’s final week on The Tonight Show will include lots of vintage clips and guests like Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wanda Sykes and Billy Crystal. O’Brien will be his last visitor on the couch on May 29. “It’s a celebration,” Leno said. “Then I’ll be off the air for less time than during the writer’s strike. I’ll come back in September with something a little bit different.
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I like Leno, but as I’ve said many times this show will kill an already hurt NBC. One man cannot save a network. This will flop big time.
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/05/13/tv-tonight-thursday-may-14th-2009/
He totally stole Conan’s thunder. I really don’t think people will watch his show. NBC should work on placing a good drama in that time slot. Why would they just give up. The other networks seem to be able to churn out good dramas.
I’ll be watching. I love Leno. Even if it dosen’t make it because of ratings he can still then go to Fox or ABC for ll:30pm.
It is going to be one of the biggest flops in television history. This will get cut from five times to once a week by mid winter. They will then be forced to leave it on until they can get some replacements for fall.
D-I-S-A-S-T-E-R
Interesting comments. Everyone seems very opinionated about this. Having read the article as well, it sounds very thought-out to me, offers a smooth hand-off, a real alternative to gritty crime dramas, etc. So far it seems brilliant to me… not sure why everyone is so convinced this is a mistake.
They aren’t eliminating the gritty crime dramas, though. They’re giving them timeslots that belonged to great shows like “Chuck.” I wouldn’t mind if they gave him one hour a week of prime time, but FIVE? No way in heck will I be watching that.
Unfortunately 10 will be the new 11:30. Why should the big guests promote their new projects at 11:30, when they can promote their stuff during prime time?
i will be watching… leno will be the one to save nbc..
finally they are trimming the crap, and losing those recycled old shows that people didnt watch the first time around, and will have something decent on for those of us who have to go to work the next morning..
for all those who complain, and stay up to watch late late shows? stop cashing those welfare checks and get a job.
I like Leno but I am sure the 10pm show will get bored really fast and it will kill NBC!
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Won’t watch and won’t even consider watching out of pure spite. It’s taking away a prime time hour every night and it’s already screwed over my fave Chuck. I wish he’d gone on another network, ya know, one that isn’t drowning in the ratings game. It’s really stealing Conan’s thunder, but I’m still uber-excited to see him take over. He’s much funnier anyway.
As some people have stated before, I won’t be watching this out of principle (although I was never a huge Leno fan to begin with). If Leno wasn’t taking a full five hours of primetime a week, Chuck coming back would have been a no brainer. Now, it’s on the bubble? Sorry, I don’t care how much cheaper his show is to produce if it comes at the cost of losing quality shows like Chuck.
Conan is already history!
Leno will be back.
Who cares about this CHUCK guy… Leno is funny it’s good that he’s on later. Honestly most the dramas on NBC are pretty sorry except Law & Order. It will be good to see Leno Then Watch Some News then get some Conan to watch. Conan won a Stony award so that’s always good!!
NBC fighting to take away ABC’s crown as the least watched network. Good Luck NBC!!! You really f’d up with this decision. Shouldn’t surprise a single person – look at the imbecile still programming NBC. Nice way to take the wind out of Conan’s premier at 11:30. This is sure going to help Dave’s ratings.
Not a Leno fan. I find him painfully unfunny. But he seems like a nice enough guy so I don’t hate him. But still, 5 times a week? Plus, I’m afraid it’ll take viewers, or more likely guests, away from Conan. It is a big slap in the face to Conan. 1 or 2 nights a week would have been better. NBC was dumb enough to do it, Leno was smart enough to agree to it. My favorite line was when Jay said “We’ll be at 10, where there are no laughs.” hahaha, when he’s there, the state will be the same, no laughs (in my opinion that is)
Chuck is AWFUL….what about stuttering John?
I like Leno & plan to watch him, but not all of the time. It will depend on whether the dramas on the other networks are worth watching or not on any particular night. I like having that option – it’s something different. And if Leno doesn’t make it in prime time, I’m sure I’ll follow him to another network late night. What I won’t be watching is Conan.
‘Guests like Mel Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Wanda Sykes (????) and Billy Crystal.’
Come on EW, does she belong in the same category as the other three? Gimme a break !.
It won’t work
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huh? how does jay do it? years ago his hair was dark, except for a patch of grey in the front, now.. the grey patch is dark, and the rest of his big head is grey. I’m getting dizzy
First off, one man might not be able to save a network, but they can make a huge impact…remember Regis and all the nights he was on with “Who wants to be a millionaire”? He was a one man ratings juggernaut several times a week. Now Leno is no Regis…he is a really great guy, personable, fun to chat with…but the only reason I am excited about this show on NBC is it frees up 3 to 5 hours per week from NBC TV…no more ER, or Law and Order’s at 10 means I can read, watch a DVD or catch up with the other networks…Thanks NBC!
There’s many reasons why Leno won’t have the “Millionaire” affect.
First of all, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire was a new shows in the US. Leno’s show is just another similar version of The Tonight Show.
Second, Millionaire wasn’t on five times a week.
Third, there’s a huge difference between a game show and a talk show. Game show has drama, excitement, suspense.
Finally, Leno is no Regis.
You can’t compare the leno show and Millionaire.
http://tvdonewright.com/2009/05/14/neil-patrick-harris-named-host-for-the-2009-tonys/
Boooooooo! Booooooooo! Jay, why not just retire already, and leave our few remaining quality scripted network tv shows on the air. NBC, if you’re doing this to save money, why not just broadcast shots of an aquarium or puppy games for an hour at 10pm? As shown by Wife Swap, Biggest Loser, Deal or No Deal, et al, people will watch pretty much anything as long as they don’t have to engage their minds. Leno is right in one respect – cable now rules good scripted tv. Boycott the old 3 original networks until they toss all the chewing-gum-for-the-mind and replace it with a flavorful feast of shows. (PS – CHUCK!!!!!)
Conan is, to me, the best comedian on TV (yes, that definitely includes cable giants Stewart and Colbert and premium channel mainstays like the dreadful Bill Maher).
NBC screwed over Conan w/ this move, but I’m not even talking about personally (although, after 15+ years making money for NBC, I should think Conan does feel slighted). As others have stated, 10:00 is now the new 11:35. The biggest stars will now flock to Leno at primetime. C will be left high and dry and doing…basically, his old show, only in L.A. and with potentially less bite.
Nothing against Leno–he seems like a decent person and his humor, while not impressive by any means, still beats Letterman, Kimmel, et. al. I don’t blame Leno for this move, I blame NBC. This is a mistake for TV lovers (no new scripted shows; I was just starting to get into SOUTHLAND), and for Conan fans.
well, at least I can write 10 o’clock on NBC off my TV watching schedule. Never been a Leno fan, never will be. It it wasn’t for 30 Rock, The Office, & Earl, I wouldn’t watch NBC at all.
At 10 o’clock I’ll be watching anything but NBC. Hell I might even pick up a book.
If this was the only channel available on my TV, I would boycott this hideous idea. Leno? In prime time? I would rather watch a infinity loop of Wilford Brimley talking about di-bet-es. I would rather watch a debate between Billy Mays and that Sham-wow guy.
If this was the only channel available on my TV, I would boycott this hideous idea. Leno? In prime time? I would rather watch a infinity loop of Wilford Brimley talking about di-bet-es. I would rather watch a debate between Billy Mays and that Sham-wow guy.
If this was the only channel available on my TV, I would boycott this hideous idea. Leno? In prime time? I would rather watch a infinity loop of Wilford Brimley talking about di-bet-es. I would rather watch a debate between Billy Mays and that Sham-wow guy.