The Jay Leno Show: Born Sept. 14, 2009 - Died Feb 12, 2010

Scott, Jay didn't retire from the Tonight show, the NBC execs "gave" Conan the show 5 years ago to keep him from bolting... they forced Jay out.
Forced?? This link from 2004 when Leno signed that deal doesn't convey that:

Mr. O'Brien, the host of NBC's "Late Night" for more than 11 years, signed a new contract early today at NBC's headquarters in Rockefeller Center. The deal guarantees Mr. O'Brien will serve at least two years as host of "Tonight," still the leading show in late-night television, when he takes over from Mr. Leno at a yet-to-be-determined date in 2009.

NBC executives said today that Mr. Leno was instrumental in making the new arrangement, having agreed when he signed his latest deal in March that he would be willing to step aside for Mr. O'Brien in 2009. He will be 59 at that point, while Mr. O'Brien will be 46.

In a statement, Mr. Leno said: "When I signed my new contract, I felt that the timing was right to plan for my successor, and there is no one more qualified than Conan. Plus, I promised my wife Mavis I would take her out for dinner before I turned 60."


http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/27/business/media/28CND-NBC.html
 
Leno's side of the story (both the events of 2004 and the recent ones) was much different than the article BTW. But at this point he needs to do a certain amount of damage control and knows that.

I will say that my recollection was that Leno never announced a retirement and was apparently looking around for another home until the 10 o'clock show was announced.
 
When this is all over, Leno will be beating Letterman in the ratings, again. If Conan gets a show, he will be a distant 3rd or 4th.

Probably, because people like boring and comfortable late at night.

Jay is both of those. He's also a phony and pretty ruthless when it comes to his career, but until now he had done a good job of hiding it.

The third backstab (Johnny, Dave, now Coco) is the charm.
 
Probably, because people like boring and comfortable late at night.

Jay is both of those. He's also a phony and pretty ruthless when it comes to his career, but until now he had done a good job of hiding it.

The third backstab (Johnny, Dave, now Coco) is the charm.

Johnny???:confused:
 
Probably, because people like boring and comfortable late at night.
People watch Leno because he is the most talented and capable of the late-night hosts (certainly the funniest and best comedic timing) and his Tonight Show has the most entertaining format. I used to like Letterman, but he hasn't been funny since the late-80s. Personally, I like O'Brien almost as much as Leno (in a different way), but my wife could not stand him. To be honest, O'Brien was better suited for the late-late-night audience and I can understand why a lot of people would watch Letterman instead of O'Brien. Besides...I thought you would enjoy Leno's "boring and comfortable" delivery since you're from Eldersburg. My wife attended Liberty High School (mother in-law still lives there) and the place is perhaps the most boring and comfortable place I have ever visited.

He's also a phony and pretty ruthless when it comes to his career, but until now he had done a good job of hiding it.

The third backstab (Johnny, Dave, now Coco) is the charm.
Leno has done an excellent job managing his career. Johnny? No...Carson retired; Dave? No...Letterman didn't possess enough talent to fill Johnny's shoes as evident by Leno beating him in the ratings the past 15+ years. Coco? I agree that O'Brien got screwed-over, but his dismal ratings were largely to blame. There is no way NBC would have sacked Coco if he didn't manage to lose more than 50% of the Tonight Show audience. Offhand, I don't feel bad for Coco since NBC paid him more than 30-million dollars for driving-away millions of Tonight Show viewers - not a bad payday for failing.
 
We will never know if Carson left entirely of his own volition or because NBC wanted a change ---although the exact timing was clearly Carson's.

As for the other two situations well plenty has been written about them and there are plenty of people for and against Jay on both. Although with Letterman there were multiple "backstabbings' some say that the situation with bookings that was often blamed on Leno's producer at the time was really Leno's doing. So the "ruthless' charge is sort ofa general one----though I do not claim to know if any of the charges are fair.
 
On April 9, 1979, Letterman guest-hosted 'The Tonight Show' for his first time (Carson was hosting the Academy Awards that evening). This was 12 years before Carson would announce his retirement but, in Carson's mind, he had just appointed the next host of 'The Tonight Show.' Letterman would guest host the show 50 more times.

Letterman and Leno would remain friendly over the next few years. Leno would often be booked as a guest on 'Late Night with David Letterman' but, as far as anyone seemed to know, that was the extent of their friendship through the 1980s. In 1987, after Carson had a falling out with then-permanent guest host Joan Rivers, Leno was picked to replace her. This move never wavered Carson's feelings on Letterman's eventual role as the host.

As documented in Bill Carter's book, 'The Late Shift,' Leno's manager, Helen Kushnick (née Gorman; Letterman's former boss), made a power play for 'The Tonight Show' once Carson announced his retirement. An extremely loyal Letterman desperately wanted the show, but would never go behind his friend Leno's back. Leno had no problem making secret deals and, influenced by Kushnick (who was so unpopular, Leno soon had to fire her), proceeded. NBC had their reservations about the lanky, off-beat, quirky comedian hosting his show in New York (sound familiar?) and eventually decided Leno would make the extra effort to make the affiliates happy -- something Letterman had really no interest in doing -- and Leno positioned himself with the network brass as the heir apparent. So, in 1992, with no mention of Carson on his first show, Leno became the host of 'The Tonight Show.' Letterman and Leno would never speak again.

Carson became a deeply private person, granting only two interviews between leaving 'The Tonight Show' and his death in 2004. It's telling Carson never appeared on Leno's show, but his last television appearance was a walk-on appearance on Letterman's competing CBS show, 'Late Show with David Letterman.'

Why Jay Leno and David Letterman Hate Each Other | PopEater.com
 
CBS has video on youtube with Letterman sending a message to Jay Leno to do the right thing and let Conan keep the show. Of course Dave, You beat Conan in the ratings every night. Letterman should just shut up and stay out of it. We get it Dave, you're still mad at NBC.

And I do believe Johnny Carson did want to leave when he did. And as much of a fan I was of Johnny Carson I had also heard rumors about him sometimes being a mean-spirited human being.
 
It's the usual slander. Any one who is as beloved as Carson is bound to be maligned by a baseless, untraceable allegation in an attempt to knock them down a peg. The envious human attitude, "If you lose, I win."
 
A classic bit from Johnny Carson from one of my videos online. I got this when they sold his shows online. It's not the complete show or clip but Rod Hull was on Carson a few times and also was on The Hudson Brothers Saturday Morning Show. Rod was told by the Producer not to attack Carson or Richard Pryor . Richard was just getting over his burn accident. Rod didn't care. He attacked them both. You only see Carson here. According to a person I talked to Fred DeCordova was furious until the audience started laughing .
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5LENwgWjB0"]YouTube- Rod Hull and Emu on The Tonight Show[/ame]
 
It's the usual slander. Any one who is as beloved as Carson is bound to be maligned by a baseless, untraceable allegation in an attempt to knock them down a peg. The envious human attitude, "If you lose, I win."
Slander?? Now THAT'S funny!! Just because a factual article doesn't portray your man in a favorable light, you immediately dismiss it.

For some more insight, read the following (but it's rather long). BTW - Leno has admitted to the embarrasing closet/eavesdropping story.

BEHIND THE HEADLINES IN THE LENO -- LETTERMAN WAR - NYTimes.com
 
I am not sure that article really casts Carson as the bad guy Cosmo.
 

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