And so Jay Leno is gone from “The Tonight Show.” Like Johnny Carson’s, whose seat he was selected to fill in a decision that sparked controversy, a book and a movie, he went out on top in his role in comedy, survivability, and in the ratings. He had a controversial reign as host but in the end, his ratings kept growing. It was an evening in that made Sandra Bullock cry — and Leno tear up. Leno made it clear if he had the choice, he’d have stayed: in a joke he noted having been fired “three times” from NBC.
If it didn’t quite have the emotion of Carson’s farewell, it was a bittersweet moment for some as NBC now holds its breath and hopes that it won’t lose Leno views or that Jimmy Fallon turns out not wearing as well as Leno did.
His heartfelt farewell:
CBS’ This Morning gave the best summary of the final evening:
And here’s the full segment with Bullock:
Some thoughts about Leno:
1. Way before he got The Tonight Show he was considered one of the hardest working and nicest guys in comedy. When I left my newspaper job on The San Diego Union in 1990 to do one form of comedy, I originally wanted to do comedy clubs (i eventually opted for other venues such as fairs, festivals, schools, and some corporate). I was told over and over by comedians and two comedy coaches about how Jay Leno was a great guy and role model as a comedian who knew his craft and had wide appeal — and worked at making these two pluses even better. When I worked on The Wichita Eagle-Beacon as a reporter from 1980-1981 I was a fan of Leno’s TV appearances. And I only learned after being there for a year that one of my favorite co-worker friends who wrote editorials was David Letterman’s sister.
2. Leno’s jokes were durable and were among the best on broadcast late night. Carson had continued the tradition of topical but tasteful political jokes that comedian Bob Hope perfected on the radio and on television in the 1940s, and 50s. He had a top rate writing staff. The “power” of a late night host lies partially in these jokes which take a conventional wisdom and expand on it or shatter it. For years I used to run a cross section of late night jokes (something we will do again here) on The Moderate Voice. Leno was the most quote and the most difficult to select, since so many of his jokes hit the mark.
3. You have to admire someone who still performed in comedy clubs because he loved it and kept working at his craft, even when he had his late night show. Leno did that for years.
4. Leno grew in his role as host: his non-standup comedy bits got better and better and his interview skills flowered.
5.He was a survivor during a time when it was difficult. Carson was tops largely during an era of broadcasting. Leno had to work in an era of narrowcasting, where viewers had MANY choices for entertainment at that hour: a slew of cable channels, computers, websites, social media. Carson’s late night show was to late night what Ed Sullivan’s was to the variety show: the ultimate. By the time Leno stepped down, network late night shows had lost some of their influence, and they were among the last vestiges on the tube of the variety show. Carson and others of those era almost always had shows where performers worked behind curtains — a throwback to early television creating a kind of vaudeville theater setting. It has increasingly become curtains for curtains in the 21st century because most Americans have never been to a live stage variety show — or a professional stage show, for that matter. One of my favorite Leno stories is how he’d stand in a long line of aspiring and working comedians when he started out, waiting to get a spot on open mike night at club in LA for hours. A comedian in line would angrily complain about the wait, give up and storm off — but for Leno it just mean he’d now wait less and he was willing to wait to get the stage time. He needed to do it and he loved it.
6. He became a player in comedy polarization. It was no secret Carson wanted his successor to be David Letterman, whose comedy style seems a mix of Carsons and the late Ernie Kovaks’. Carson even reportedly wrote jokes for Letterman when Letterman exited to CBS to compete with Leno. It’s still standard practice for many people to say “I like Leno and don’t like Letterman” or “I can’t stand Leno and I like Letterman.” But, rather, perhaps it’s time to honor both of these great comedy artists and put aside taking sides in what was a messy corporate inside battle: both have been comedy gems, shaped by early television, baby boomers, unlike Greatest Generation performers such as Carson.
Leno will not vanish from the screen. And neither will Letterman.
But last night signaled a generational changing of the guard.
The question now isn’t whether Leno will survive or whether Fallon will be a smash. It’s whether the late night shows can continue to rope in newer generations as other choices for entertainment multiply and upgrade.
Most likely? Leno’s exit means the comedy landscape has been changed at time when demographics are changing and options for entertainment are expanding. Unless Fallon bombs (unlikely), Letterman may be in for a challenging period.
Even Oprah showed up for Jay Leno's tearful, star-packed farewell: http://t.co/bbGktbLYgQ pic.twitter.com/6DsFrqt1g5
— The Week (@TheWeek) February 7, 2014
My 1st show w/@taylorswift13 was Tonight Show.. Grab kleenex, tears.. Jay was all class.. Leno's Heartfelt Goodbye http://t.co/LSjpEjgS0r
— Paul Sidoti (@paulsidoti) February 7, 2014
Conan O’Brien Wins Late-Night TV With Jay Leno Jab – As Jay Leno departed late-night television Thursday… http://t.co/ClGya5jLsS
— CHIssential (@CHIssential) February 7, 2014
'Late Late Show's' Craig Ferguson Congratulates Leno on Being 'Free' from NBC; Takes Jab at CNN: http://t.co/4klYU3Zasa
— Breitbart News (@BreitbartNews) February 7, 2014
Jimmy Fallon Should Ignore Jay Leno's Tonight Show Advice http://t.co/K4qACN6Dv7 (Column By @TheMattWilstein)
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) February 7, 2014
Remember when Leno already left once and then totally stabbed Conan in the back?
— nilay patel (@reckless) February 7, 2014
Jay Leno's very 1st 'Tonight Show' appearance was on March 2, 1977 pic.twitter.com/6oCcCk1Fyx
— TV Guide Vault (@TVGuideArchives) February 7, 2014
Leno: Tonight's our last show after 22 years. So much has happened in that time. U know the saddest part is OJ never found the real killers.
— Andrew Malcolm (@AHMalcolm) February 7, 2014
He's not funny. MT @MarryMeOwen: Im not sorry to see Leno go, im friends with a lot of comics that havent had the best experience with him
— Leenie (@leenie909) February 7, 2014
Greta: NBC's Stupidity with Jay Leno Can Be FOX's Gain – Fox Nation http://t.co/ov3CFWYyFu
— Fox Nation (@foxnation) February 7, 2014
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.