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Letterman being one of the guests would be epic.
Anybody else going to watch it? I'm betting Letterman will make an appearance.
Jay Leno's Final Tonight Show More A New Beginning Than An End
Friday May 29, 2009
CityNews.ca Staff
Friday marks another milestone in TV history, but it hasn't quite been given the hype of a similar one from seasons past. It's the final Tonight Show with Jay Leno, ending a 17-year-run in the coveted late night chair. Only Johnny Carson, whose own farewell was trumpeted for more than a year, lasted longer in the job.
But unlike the late great talk show host, Leno won't be gone for long. He's readying an unprecedented five nights a week primetime talk show that will be seen every evening at 10pm on Citytv.
But don't ask him what the new set's going to look like. He hasn't got a clue.
"We don't even have a studio built yet," Leno said in a conference call. He did hint that he might ditch the desk and chair look.
"I would like to leave the Tonight Show chair and desk to the Tonight Show and come up with something different," Leno revealed. "It's like when you watch Star Trek and they play three dimensional chess and the things are one on top of the other to make it look like the future; it's still chess."
While Leno is looking forward to some things from his new timeslot - like being able to book guests easier - he has to keep his enthusiasm in check for his upcoming project.
"The real trick to show business is try not to get too excited; try not to get to depressed," Leno explained. He may not be able to sustain the numbers he achieved as the king of late night shows. After a brief struggle at the beginning of his reign, Leno booked actor Hugh Grant, then embroiled in a scandal involving a pros ute.
His "what were you thinking?" question earned him huge ratings, and with a few exceptions, he was never out of the number one position again.
The veteran comedian knows he's entering uncharted territory this time. There has never been a five nights a week talk show on network primetime. It's a big risk both personally and for NBC, his home network, which came up with the concept to keep him from jumping to the compe ion.
If the show doesn't work, he'll be left with an ignominious failure and his network will be stuck with a five hour a night hole to fill. He knows competing with high cost and high quality dramas at that time of the evening likely won't leave him in top spot.
But Leno intends to fight the good fight, keeping the key elements he believes made his late night show wildly popular: good jokes, good material and good guests. "We just try to keep the jokes coming fast and furious and that's what people like," he believes.
And how will he leave the program that he's had for almost two decades? Leno's keeping a tight lip on that one but confirms they have something interesting planned.
"It's something really personal and really unusual. And I think - well, it seems unusual but it's just really different and it has to do with our show and our staff and I think it'll make people smile."
Conan O'Brien takes over next week. The New Jay Leno show will premiere in the fall.
Last edited by florige; 05-29-2009 at 08:13 AM.
Letterman being one of the guests would be epic.
Leno sucks.
I'll be watching it.
Conan O'Brien FTW
I remember watching Carson's last show.
Should be a good one.
I was getting ready to jump for joy. At first I thought you were talking about that jerk-off Carson Daly's last show.
It's much cheaper for NBC to do a five night a week talk show than 5 one-hour dramas.
I hope his new show fails miserably. What a money .
I'll make sure to be watching. I've been watching Leono on and off for 14.5 years. (probably less, but I remember 14.5) It's the only hsow ledf on TV that still makes me laugh out loud. I hate Conan, and have a void at the 11:30 slot will suck. I hope his 10 pm show is good.
I don't really watch it. I find celebs to be boring and uninteresting. Occassionally I catch Headlines though just for a few chuckles.
I've never been a fan and have only watched when I knew in advance that someone I liked would be on. But I have seen Conan's show a couple of times and liked it, so I may watch more often now.
leno sux. he's a leech. good riddance. i hope the masturbating bear makes the cut.
, I remember reading an interview with Conan O'Brian years ago, back around 2001 or so. They were talking about the differences in what he can get away with in the later time slot and he vowed that if he was picked as Leno's successor that the Masturbating Bear would be the one thing he'd fight tooth and nail for.
conan > leno
I'm a huge Conan fan, but I wonder whether he'll be able to remain as funny with the censorship he'll get in that time slot versus his original late late slot. Letterman was never the same after getting the earlier slot and having to clean his show up. I'm guessing masturbating bears and ting robots aren't going to fly at that hour.
Was a good show. Im lookin forward to Conan!
NBC.com says Leno is taking Headlines and Jaywalking to the new show, says he's going to open with a monologue each night ... sound familiar?
Nice "final" show. Now to see if the band goes along with him like Conan's band is doing.
Watched it, I felt sad to see his farewell, but Conan is the better man for the job.
Sorry for those who wish to see the masturbating bear. Myself included.
I hope he at least brings Pimpbot-5000 with him. The episode where he told Ice-T he had dirt on him from back in the day was hilarious.
Conan > Leno
Leno is a money and a bore. Conan is the funniest man alive. King of all men.....
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