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Local and National News - Kootenai County, Idaho

Tyler Wilson

Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2008 - 11:32:36 pm PDT
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Tyler Wilson

Take a Jaywalk

He may be the late night ratings king, but Jay Leno needs to ride his motorcycle into the sunset for good.

Leno previously announced he would step down as host of "The Tonight Show" in 2009. NBC promised the show to Conan O'Brien, but now Leno wants to stay up a little while longer.

His flip-flop should make things interesting. No matter what, O'Brien becomes the host of "The Tonight Show," and rumor has it "Saturday Night Live" alum Jimmy Fallon will take O'Brien's old time slot. Leno could stay with NBC and host various specials and primetime programs, or he could be picked up by another network.

David Letterman is signed with CBS until 2010, but ABC or FOX could make a pass at Leno. Jimmy Kimmel better start sucking up to his bosses at ABC.

As long as Letterman, O'Brien and Craig Ferguson remain on the air, I don't care about Jay Leno. He may be the most popular late night host, but he's easily the most generic. Anyone could recite those lame jokes and toss softball questions at self-important celebrities.

Leno is popular because "The Tonight Show" offers audiences a predictable format. He has few personality quirks, and the show relies on a routine of big-name guests and segments like Jaywalking and Headlines. Letterman, by contrast, has a distinct stage personality, and the show depends on his antics for laughs.

Without the clout of the "Tonight Show" title, Leno might have trouble retaining an audience. As a comedian, Leno isn't half as funny as any of his colleagues. Even Jimmy Kimmel delivers a more entertaining monologue.

Of course that's just my opinion. Leno is the ratings king, so somebody must like him. My theory? People watch "The Tonight Show" to fall asleep. He's just a cheap alternative for Ambien.

I don't watch what I don't like, so it doesn't matter to me whether Leno finds another late night gig. What I don't like is fake retirements. If you say you're going to leave, then you shut up and leave. End of story.

If he's not careful, Leno might become the Jay-Z of late night TV. Only Michael Jordan can pull off a fake retirement, and the last time I checked, Leno wasn't the greatest basketball player on the planet.

Most people work 50 or more years to reach a comfortable retirement. Leno should just be happy he can afford those 15 dozen hot rods. Somebody pay me a few million bucks and I'll retire right now, no questions asked.

If Leno wanted to stay on "The Tonight Show," he shouldn't have committed to the exit plan. All he had to say was, "Let's take this one year at a time." NBC would have complied, even at the risk of losing O'Brien to another network.

NBC doesn't mess around with proven properties. That's why "Deal or No Deal" airs 14 times a week. O'Brien will lose ratings when he takes over "The Tonight Show" because he won't be able to put people asleep quite as fast.

If all else fails, maybe Leno can host the late night show on The Golf Channel.

Tyler Wilson can be reached at twilson@cdapress.com.


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Gelabale wrote on May 12, 2008 1:06 AM:

" The only useful thing Jay Leno ever did was wrestle in WCW. Him and Diamond Dallas Page totally dominated Hollywood Hogan and Eric Bischoff. Seriously, that happened. "

Chin wrote on May 9, 2008 7:12 AM:

" Leno is a tv icon,i will never watch Conan O as his show is lame and childish. I just wont watch late night after the Leno man is gone. I guess i am too old. "

Gelabale wrote on May 8, 2008 9:30 AM:

" Leno is absolutley terrible. My friend Krusty the Clown got it right when he said "You got some big-chinned schlub reading typos from the Palookaville Post! Here's a headline for you! Nobody cares!" Leno probably still references Titanic and Who Let The Dogs Out. In France we have Late Night With Hypnotoad and it's much more entertaining. "

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