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News & ArtsWednesday, March 6, 2013
TV Our Long National Nightmare Might Soon Be Over
Posted by Grant Brissey on Wed, Mar 6, 2013 at 8:09 AM
Jay Leno, whose job materialized presumably because he had some major dirt on a high-level executive at NBC, is rumor-legedly going to retire. Said rumors also purport that Jimmy Fallon is to take his role. If the television industry were anything like an actual capitalist market, something like this would have happened years ago.
1
I always figured Leno got the job because Carson didn't want his substitute to upstage him, so he picked a ridiculously mediocre comedian who was just good enough, but NBC execs were too stupid to figure that out. It'd explain why Carson was surprised when they didn't pick Letterman.
4
Jay Leno:late night TV::Cal Ripken Jr.:baseball. Leno is a testament to the power of just showing up all the time.
6
@ 1, Leno actually wasn't unfunny back then. His humor isn't edgy in any way, and he couldn't hold a candle to Letterman at the time, but he wasn't unfunny. That said, he definitely wasn't one to upstage Carson. But Carson only allowed people he thought were really funny to substitute for him.
Jimmy Fallon isn't unfunny either, but he's no Conan O'Brien.
Jimmy Fallon isn't unfunny either, but he's no Conan O'Brien.
7
I'm pretty sure capitalism is the only thing that's kept Leno in the desk for so long. It even dragged him out of retirement.
8
Fallon switching to an earlier time slot just might ruin him. Part of the reason he and Craig Ferguson can be so damned funny sometimes is they get to play to a different audience.
9
Woohoo!
But I probably have woohoo-ed too soon. I suspect the zombie Leno will rise from the grave, stagger to the set -- and after ripping Fallon's head off -- continue to eat the brains of late night viewers for centuries to come.
But I probably have woohoo-ed too soon. I suspect the zombie Leno will rise from the grave, stagger to the set -- and after ripping Fallon's head off -- continue to eat the brains of late night viewers for centuries to come.
11
JImmy Fallon is the absolute worst.
Completely unfunny and he is one of those assholes that fails upward, just like George W. Bush.
Completely unfunny and he is one of those assholes that fails upward, just like George W. Bush.
12
Jay Leno has done a couple of hilarious turns as himself on "After Lately". The scene where Chelsea Handler tells him "no, premature ejaculation is YOUR problem, don't project" was funny, but the bit where he made a $5,000 bet on the Super Bowl with one of her employees (who couldn't afford a $50 one) and then reneged on it after he lost was pure gold. I hope he ditches his dead talk show gig ASAP and just farts around doing stuff like that in his dotage.
13
Fallon is a perfect replacement for Leno, much better than Conan.
Conan was way too funny and likeable.
Conan was way too funny and likeable.
14
I wonder if NBC is connected with The Comedy Channel? Jon Stewart could go mainstream if the price was right. Now I'm suspicious about Stewart taking leave. It is to make a movie, right?
16
The problem with Leno isn't that he doesn't know comedy...he does. He has been doing stand up as long as I have been alive, and while I may question his content, I can't put down his skills. Its just that he can't do a fucking interview to save his life. Watching Jay interview is basically watching him read questions supplied by the celeb of the days publicist. I'd almost like Howard Stern for the interview role, but the first 20 minutes of the Tonight Show would be terrible if he was on it. It needs a host that can do comedy, skits, and interviews, not just 2 out of the 3.
17
Fallon is a churlish dick. Carson is probably rolling in his grave on this news. Talk about a steady decline... gah. I'm glad I stopped watching the Tonight Show after Carson ad-libbed that he wears a crotchless business suit to bed every night - THAT was funny.
"Fails upward", an accurate and useful term. Thanks TG.
"Fails upward", an accurate and useful term. Thanks TG.
18
@1: My understanding was that Carson wanted Letterman to be his replacement, but shrewd, underhanded maneuvering (mainly by Leno's manager Helen Kushnick) secured Leno the job. Didn't Leno even hide in a closet during a meeting to overhear?
In any case, it was evident that Letterman was Carson's choice because it was revealed, years later, that Carson was writing and submitting jokes to Letterman after he retired.
In any case, it was evident that Letterman was Carson's choice because it was revealed, years later, that Carson was writing and submitting jokes to Letterman after he retired.
19
Fallon's a mediocre comedian but a decent late night host. His hosting the Tonight Show doesn't mean that I'll watch it, but he'll do well enough to keep the proles entertained.
22
I like Fallon and want him to have a long, successful career. But he's not ready for this.
It's hard to believe that the whole Conan scandal ended up being over just one or two years. They should have just written Leno a check for the contract.
In the end, though, the franchise is over. The age of network TV is coming to a close. Might as well rotate Tonight Show hosts every three years like Doctors Who. Every rotation will get buzz and six months rating boost.
It's hard to believe that the whole Conan scandal ended up being over just one or two years. They should have just written Leno a check for the contract.
In the end, though, the franchise is over. The age of network TV is coming to a close. Might as well rotate Tonight Show hosts every three years like Doctors Who. Every rotation will get buzz and six months rating boost.
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