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It was the second time he has had to bow out from the primo job as host of the “Tonight Show,” but Jay Leno’s good-bye was still emotional. and quite touching. Leno handled the hosting duties on the talk show for the last time, last night, and scored huge ratings. That is no surprise really. Leno beat his competition in the ratings before his first, ah, departure in May of 2009 and continued to lead the pack of late night talkers after he returned to the show... Read More →
Once again, outgoing “Tonight Show” host, Jay Leno, is caught up in another battle. This time it’s the dueling interviews. First out of the gate, CBS putting out a teaser about Leno going one-on-one with Steve Kroft on “60 minutes” and talking about getting the boot from the “Tonight Show” not once, but twice! That’s coming up this Sunday. Then late this afternoon, NBC posted an announcement saying Leno and incoming “Tonight Show” host, Jimmy Fallon, would be doing their first joint interview... Read More →
Jay Leno’s days behind the desk of the “Tonight Show” are number. His last day is February 6. This Sunday on CBS, Leno speaks out about how it feels to be kicked to the curb by NBC. As you might remember, the veteran talk show host was booted from the “Tonight Show” previously in 2009. Despite being pushed aside once again, Leno gives props to in-coming “Tonight Show” host Jimmy Fallon. More on The Wrap, including a video teaser for Leno’s appearance on... Read More →
It’s official “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” will be ending on Thursday, February 6, 2014, according to Deadline. The talk show’s executive producer, Debbie Vickers, reportedly made the announcement to staffers today. Also, the cast and crew will be paid until Leno’s contract runs out in September 2014. Leno’s replacement, Jimmy Fallon, is set to take over the “Tonight Show” on Monday, February 24. Once Leno takes his final bow, the “Tonight Show” will move to New York. Meanwhile, Leno continues to beat the competition in late... Read More →
President Obama is scheduled to arrive in the Media City this afternoon, after stopping in Arizona. Obama is going to be the guest on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Wisely, Los Angeles Police have put out a traffic advisory for streets that might get caught up in a so-called Obamajam. Valley streets to avoid between 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. The area around Hollywood Way and San Fernando Road from 2:30 pm to 6:30 p.m. The area around Hollywood Way and Burbank Blvd. from 2:30 p.m. to... Read More →
Here we go again. Rumors are flying and the Internet is buzzing with chatter about NBC replacing Jay Leno on “The Tonight Show.” I don’t know what it is about Leno that makes NBC want to kick him around. Remember when then NBC honcho, Jeff Zucker, came up with the brilliant idea of pushing Jay Leno into a primetime show and handing over the “Tonight Show” to the younger, quirky, funnyman Conan O’Brien — at the time the host of “Late Night.” Leno was still at... Read More →
More bad labor press for Comcast NBCUniversal. First, a lot of shock and surprise when it came out last week that about 20 staffers got laid off from the highly rated, “The Tonight Show.” Host Jay Leno reportedly was forced to take a pay cut as part of that budget slashing. For the past couple of nights, Leno and his writers, have hit back at corporate in his monologue, with jokes like: “Welcome to ‘ The Tonight Show,’ or as we call it ‘Survivor... Read More →
Late Night TV host, Jay Leno, will soon be heading down South to perform a benefit for some victims of that devastating Gulf Coast oil spill. The host of NBC’s “The Tonight Show” will take to the stage in a theater at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, next month, on Saturday, August 21. “It’s great to be able to do shows like this,” Leno said in a PR Newswire press release. “We did it for flood victims in Iowa; we did it... Read More →
Photo: Lawrence Jackson/White House — President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama chat with guests, including Comedian Jay Leno, at the White House Press Dinner in Washington, DC, May 1, 2010 A lot of chatter today about who was funnier last night at the White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner; “Tonight Show” Host Jay Leno or President Barack Obama. The zingers were flying, but who got off the best lines? Leno was the headliner, but President Barack Obama stepped to the podium first at the Washington Hilton and declared: “I’m... Read More →
File Photo: Jay Leno Jay Leno returned to his old gig as host of “The Tonight Show” on Monday. I guess it’s going to take a while before Leno and staff get their “Tonight Show” groove back. Last night’s monologue seemed a bit stiff and light on the throw-down funny jokes. Still, there were a few smile-worthy zingers. Jay Leno ”It’s good to be home. I’m Jay Leno your host… at least for a while. ” “This is something you may have heard on ’60 Minutes.’ Blackwater Worldwide, the State Department’s largest contractor… those guys we... Read More →
Look who’s talking? Oprah interviewed Jay Leno yesterday about the much debated “Tonight Show” debacle. NBC executives jerked around both Leno and fellow talk show host Conan O’Brien. Last Friday, O’Brien gave up “The Tonight Show” rather than see it compromised. Oh, O’Brien walked away with a huge chunk of money and a ton of favorable publicity as well. On the other hand, Leno did not come out the clear winner, either. He gets to host “The Tonight Show” again, but has become the target of bad press and dissing from fans for not... Read More →
It’s a mess. That’s about the nicest way to describe the situation that NBC finds itself in right now with three of its talk show hosts, Jay Leno, Conan O’Brien, and Jimmy Fallon. Rumors of the demise of Jay Leno’s low rated prime time talk show have been swirling around for a while. Then last week, those rumors, all over the Internet and elsewhere, became a firestorm, fueled by leaks that Leno was headed back to late night. Today, Jeff Gaspin, chairman of NBC Universal Television Entertainment, made... Read More →
Photo: NBC After 17 years, Jay Leno hosted his last official “Tonight Show” taping this evening with laughs, gags, memories, and some favorite guests. Some of the entertainer’s fans in the audience had spent hours in line to make sure they got a chance to watch the taping of Leno’s finale. Leno is not heading off into the sunset for retirement, at least not yet anyway. Actually, Leno and his crew are moving into new digs on the NBC lot in Burbank and will soon be gearing... Read More →
Photo: NBC Time is running out, if you plan to attend a “Tonight Show” taping hosted by Jay Leno. In two weeks, after 17 years, the veteran comic will host his last “Tonight Show,” on Friday, May 29. Leno told CNN he’s planning some surprises for his finale and he revealed the guests will include singer James Taylor and new “Tonight Show” host Conan O’Brien. Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove —Winter 2009, folks wait outside NBC Studios for a taping of “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.” Long... Read More →
Photo: NBC Funny guy Jay Leno will be back cracking jokes and talking to guests at “The Tonight Show” desk come Monday. Leno was reportedly released from Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank yesterday. The late-night show host started feeling badly on Thursday and drove himself to the hospital. Leno’s personal representative told the People website: “They had him overnight. It was for observation. It was symptomatic of nothing serious. I think it was a dehydration.” “Tonight Show” tapings were canceled for Thursday and Friday,... Read More →
There will be a rerun in “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” television slot tonight, because the taping this afternoon had to be canceled. The host, Jay Leno, reportedly became ill and drove himself to Providence Saint Joseph Medical Center in Burbank. KNX 1070 newsradio is reporting Leno may be suffering from a bout of food poisoning. The veteran entertainer is said to be resting in a hospital bed and writing jokes! Still, there’s a good chance Leno will not be back on the “Tonight Show” until Monday.Photo: FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove Folks waiting in... Read More →
FLLewis/A Writer’s Groove President Barack Obama is back in Washington, D.C. today after a whirlwind visit to the Southland. President Obama wrapped up two days of events with a trip to Burbank to tape a guest appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno” late yesterday. This is the first time a U.S. President has sat down for a chat on the “Tonight Show.” However, Obama has been on the late night show twice before: December of 2006 and October of 2007. So the president was quite comfortable with the routine... Read More →
Today NBC revealed some details of that new primetime gig for “The Tonight Show” host Jay Leno. Hollywood and the media have been buzzing about the new Leno show since yesterday. NBC Entertainment/Universal Media Studios co-heads, Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff, joined Leno to make the official announcement at a news conference in Universal City. Leno will vacate “The Tonight Show” desk on Friday, May 29, 2009. NBC decided to boot Leno out of the chair so that late night talker Conan O’Brien could take over. Interestingly, Leno said he will be taking many of the popular elements... Read More →
Google Image It’s official. NBC Executives announced today that long-time “Tonight Show” host and funnyman, Jay Leno will be signing off on Friday, May 29, 2009. Leno’s replacement, “Late Night” talker Conan O’Brien will take over the “Tonight Show” desk the following Monday, June first. NBC has made no secret of its plans to dump Leno for O’Brien. Industry watchers as well as “Tonight Show” fans have debated the move for sometime. No one really knows what will happen. We will have to wait and see if the... Read More →
