Entertainment Briefs for June 4, 2010

Bandleader Eubanks ends stint with Leno

NEW YORK - It's a wrap for "Tonight Show" bandleader Kevin Eubanks after 18 years backing up host Jay Leno."I don't think we've ever had an argument," Leno said, bidding Eubanks farewell on Friday's show. "We've had a lot of fun."

Eubanks, whose duties included comic sidekick to Leno as well as guitarist, had been aboard since Leno took over NBC's "Tonight" in 1992. Eubanks became musical director when Branford Marsalis left in 1995.The 52-year-old Eubanks joined Leno last fall for the short-lived "The Jay Leno Show" in prime time, then came back to "Tonight" when Leno reclaimed the show from Conan O'Brien in March. O'Brien left NBC rather than move "Tonight" to a later slot to make room for Leno in late night.

In April, Eubanks announced his plans to depart, but he insisted the recent turmoil had played no part in his decision. He said he was seeking a career change of pace.Exiting with Eubanks will be the other five members of the Tonight Show Band. They include vocalist and percussionist Vicki Randle, keyboardist Gerry Etkins, bass guitarist Derrick "Dock" Murdock, saxophonist Ralph Moore and drummer Marvin "Smitty" Smith.

"We have gone through all this together," said Eubanks, introducing and thanking them.During the hourlong show, a clip reel highlighted comic moments Leno and Eubanks have shared through the years, then Eubanks was featured performing an original song.

He will be replaced by former "American Idol" music director Rickey Minor, who arrives with his own troupe June 7."The Tonight Show" will air reruns next week.

Cowell's farewell gives Fox a ratings-topper

NEW YORK - Simon Cowell's going-away party and the crowning of Lee DeWyze as the new "American Idol" brought more than 24 million viewers to Fox last week.

That was down nearly 5 million viewers from the audience for last year's finale, the Nielsen Co. said Wednesday.Cowell is leaving the show on which he was the defining character for a decade, although he will participate in a new game show with Fox in 2011.

The "Idol" conclusion and the increasingly popular "Glee" led Fox to win the week's ratings race. The network averaged 9.7 million viewers in prime time (5.6, 10). CBS dropped to second with an 8 million average (5.1. 9), ABC had 6.4 million, NBC had 4.7 million (2.9, 5), and the CW and ION Television both had 1 million viewers (0.7, 1).Among the Spanish-language networks, Univision led with 3.3 million viewers (1.6, 3), Telemundo (0.6 rating, 1 share) and TeleFutura (0.5, 1) had 1 million each, Estrella had 200,000, and Azteca had 160,000 (both 0.1, 0).

NBC's "Nightly News" topped the evening newscasts with an average of 7.6 million viewers (5.1, 11). ABC's "World News" was second with 7 million (4.7, 10) and the "CBS Evening News" had 5.3 million viewers (3.6, 8).A ratings point represents 1,149,000 households, or 1 percent of the nation's estimated 114.9 million TV homes. The share is the percentage of in-use televisions tuned to a given show.

For the week of June 24-30, the top 10 shows, their networks and viewerships: "American Idol" (Wednesday), Fox, 24.22 million; "American Idol" (Tuesday), Fox, 20.07 million; "Dancing With the Stars," ABC, 19.36 million; "Dancing With the Stars Results," ABC, 18.4 million; "NCIS," CBS, 16.3; "Two and a Half Men," CBS, 15.46 million; "The Big Bang Theory," CBS, 15.02 million; "NCIS: Los Angeles," CBS, 13.23 million; "Criminal Minds," CBS, 12.97 million; "CSI: Miami," CBS, 12.38 million.