I enjoyed this:

[badrose]

http://variety.com/2013/tv/news/nbcs-rising-leno-dominates-over-kimmel-and-letterman-1200524505/

Comments below speculate his departure is politically motivated, but not his.

[CitizenBBN]

Sorry I may be confused. What part in particular did you enjoy? That Leno is leaving?

[badrose]

Sorry I may be confused. What part in particular did you enjoy? That Leno is leaving?

That he's the only late night talk show host who doesn't have his head up the president's butt and his ratings are the highest. Letterman is a big Obama schmoozer and the lowest of the three in the 11:30 slot.

[BigBlueBrock]

Old people loooove them some Jay Leno. My generation sure as hell isn't watching his tired shtick.

[Darrell KSR]

Old people loooove them some Jay Leno. My generation sure as hell isn't watching his tired shtick.

Leno? Isn't he that new kid that replaced Carson?

[BigBlueBrock]

Leno? Isn't he that new kid that replaced Carson?

Who's Carson?

(juuuust kidding, I know who Johnny Carson is - he's the guy rolling over in his grave at the current state of network late night television)

For the record, I watch Craig Ferguson (the funniest "traditional" late night host, IMO), Conan, and The Daily Show. Leno's jokes were all written prior to 1980, Letterman is incredibly grating, and I never got into Kimmel.

[Darrell KSR]

Who's Carson?

(juuuust kidding, I know who Johnny Carson is - he's the guy rolling over in his grave at the current state of network late night television).
That's probably dead on accurate.

[BigBlueBrock]

Current late night network television, outside of Craig Ferguson and maybe Kimmel (who are the only two guys that push the format), is very very tired. Which is why they're losing viewers. I don't think Leno's lead in the ratings is related to the others being perceived as "left leaning," at least not for the most part. The Baby Boomer demo (which isn't included in the 18-49, but is in the Total Viewers), is the largest most consistent market for him - always has been. The 18-49 demo is more fractured, not to mention the DVR usage in that group (which isn't included in the numbers Variety used).

In post-primetime ratings, Leno is actually behind The Daily Show for the 18-49 demo, and TDS is by far more left-leaning than any of the network late night shows, albeit intentionally so. That's why they're saying goodbye to Leno (again) because the demographics he largely appeals to (50+) don't buy anything and he's been losing viewers in the 18-49 demo for years.

[CitizenBBN]

I can't watch Leno. He's just such an a$$ as a person. I have a lot of loyalty to Letterman simply from my college days, but I know what he does with the show now isn't what built my loyalty to him.

No one has ever or will ever come within a long distance call of being as good as Carson, but I miss the old Letterman shows. Dropped stuff, stupid pet tricks, his velcro suit.

[BigBlueBrock]

I have loyalty to Conan, but he lost a lot of what made his show unique when he first moved to the earlier slot on NBC and then moved to TBS and couldn't bring his skits with him because they're all owned by NBC. He has some pretty good skits now, but he sticks to the classic format too much and it can feel really stale.

[CitizenBBN]

I have loyalty to Conan, but he lost a lot of what made his show unique when he first moved to the earlier slot on NBC and then moved to TBS and couldn't bring his skits with him because they're all owned by NBC. He has some pretty good skits now, but he sticks to the classic format too much and it can feel really stale.

Same thing that happened with Letterman when he went to CBS. NBC owned a lot of the skits. Still, either of those guys could replace them if they chose, but they both seem to have decided to go more "grown up". It's a shame, both were more entertaining when they were less so.

[BigBlueBrock]

Same thing that happened with Letterman when he went to CBS. NBC owned a lot of the skits. Still, either of those guys could replace them if they chose, but they both seem to have decided to go more "grown up". It's a shame, both were more entertaining when they were less so.

Agreed.

[badrose]

Who's Carson?

(juuuust kidding, I know who Johnny Carson is - he's the guy rolling over in his grave at the current state of network late night television)

For the record, I watch Craig Ferguson (the funniest "traditional" late night host, IMO), Conan, and The Daily Show. Leno's jokes were all written prior to 1980, Letterman is incredibly grating, and I never got into Kimmel.

Craig is my favorite as well. My guess is that his ratings would be much improved if his lead-in had a better viewership. He stays out of politics for the most part and doesn't take himself too seriously. It should be noted that The Daily Show has a slight advantage in ratings because its time slot being a full hour earlier, the difference being a mere 34,000 viewers over Leno. Leno does talk politics, but spreads his humor over both sides and treats political guests with equal respect, something Letterman seemingly can't bring himself to do.

CBBN, it does seem Leno has the rep for being an ass, Conan and Letterman commiserated on the latter's show about him, but I'm not clear as to why. Care to elaborate?

Other than Craig, I watch Kimmel regularly. He's pretty innovative, fresh, and generally good-natured. Fallon is OK and I'll watch him depending on his guest(s).

[CitizenBBN]

CBBN, it does seem Leno has the rep for being an ass, Conan and Letterman commiserated on the latter's show about him, but I'm not clear as to why. Care to elaborate?


He's just about universally hated by the comic community, and has been petty and manipulative. Has stolen material in their eyes, a huge taboo. He's really petty, fired some of his staff during the strike, gives out pitiful bonuses and such. During the Carson retirement he hid in a closet to eavesdrop on a NBC conference call about the show. lol.

The movie Late Shift is about the battle over Carson's spot between Leno and Letterman, and supposedly it's fairly accurate. Carson wanted Letterman to have it and he'd been promised the job by NBC, or at least led to believe he'd have it as part of keeping him in his slot.

I'm sure I'm inclined to believe it b/c I like Letterman and adore Carson, and even Carson didn't like Leno (and wrote jokes for Letterman for years after retiring just as a friendly thing), but I've heard it even from people in the classic car auction business. I figure if Carson doesn't like you then it's probably true