Leno's Last 'Tonight': May 29
By Josef Adalian
Jay Leno will sign off as host of "The Tonight Show" on May 29, with Conan O'Brien taking over the storied franchise on Monday, June 1.
WHO WANTS TO KNOW? No job's too small for Jay Leno, center, who showed up at TCA in disguise to prompt NBC Co-Chairs Ben Silverman, left, and Marc Graboff to disclose the date of his final "Tonight Show."
NBC Entertainment Co-Chairs Ben Silverman and Marc Graboff made the announcement Monday morning during the network's portion of the Television Critics Association summer press tour. Mr. Leno helped make the news by posing as a reporter asking questions at the TCA, copying Jimmy Kimmel's
stunt from last week.
Mr. Graboff said Mr. O'Brien would step down as host of "Late Night" sometime during the first quarter of 2009. Mr. Fallon is expected to take over a few weeks later, in March or April, with NBC airing repeats in the interim. Meanwhile, Mr. Fallon's late-night show will get a
test run online.
And while Mr. Leno told USA Today last week that he's "done" with NBC, Mr. Graboff said he's not ready to concede that point.
"We're still talking to Jay about staying at NBC Universal," said Mr. Graboff, adding that the network has no second thoughts about the decision to transition from Mr. Leno to Mr. O'Brien.
"We made our decision and I'm happy with it," he said. "NBC will continue to dominate late-night."
NBC announced Mr. O'Brien's takeover for "Tonight" four years ago.
(Editors: Horowitz, Baumann. Updated 11:41 a.m.)
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Comments 25
Diane T
Speaking for myself, I will go where Jay Leno goes. I DO NOT like Conan and at 12:35 I always watch Craig Ferguson.
Oh what a wonderful late night world it would be if Leno took over CBS's 11:30 spot.....leading into Craig.
Kathryn
Amen from another Leno fan...where he goes, my TV goes. If he goes off the air, my TV gets turned off and I'll just get more sleep!
Mark
It will be a very sad day when Letterman leaves the air. You only have to look at the Emmy Noms the past few years to see what how the industry compares the two.
Wendi
This could be one of the biggest mistakes NBC ever made
Chris I
I can't wait until Leno leaves. I understand he gets the better ratings...but I just can not watch the show. Too smarmy and fake. Everything is so forced.
In a perfect world, Letterman would have taken over the Tonight show in the beginning. But that would have been too perfect an un-interesting. The Tonight Show isn't "class" anymore.
I enjoy Conan for the most part and am curious on how he will be different on The Tonight Show.
Will Leno to ABC? I hope he takes at least one cue from Carson and just retire and relax after he leaves the Tonight Show. Johnny never really came back from his retirement and I respected him for that.
Do multi-millionaires really need to keep working?
Hawaii Bob
Sorry, but I feel this is the biggest mistake NBC has made in decades. Jay Leno far exceeds Conan's ability to carry a show as legendary as The Tonight Show. The ratings are going to drop to the cellar.
Dave Letterman has got to be grinning from ear to ear over this lame brained move on the part of NBC. I think we are going to see a move by ABC to begin an evening talk show to compete with Tonight, starring, of course, Jay Leno.
Juliana
Well I guess I can finally start going to bed early! Conan is soo boring, he is ok for late late TV! NBC is making a mistake!! Good Luck!
Juliana
Well I guess I can finally start going to bed early! Conan is soo boring, he is ok for late late TV! NBC is making a mistake!! Good Luck!
Portland, Mike
NBC seems intent on trashing everything that once made it "Must See TV"...hey Chime In...Leno rules and goes to ABC!
NBC...Nothing Better than Cable!
Peter Bright
Oh-de-do, the Late Night TV show dough...time to test our remotes and make sure they have fresh batteries...Leno leaves NBC...I think the Net & he are making a big mistake...Jay has an audience and sure many will follow him for a time...but what is NBC management thinking....ARE they thinking? Conan will bomb at 11:35 unless he becomes more on air like he is off...doubtful.
Letterman will continue with better ratings than ever...people watch him for him and as long as he remains true to who he is and what he can do, the audience will be happy, CBS will be happy and Dave I feel will stick around until it competes with time he spends with son, Harry.
The Peacock Network boys have an act on about Jay leaving...I'm sure they've filled their pants more than once in recent months...now they have to keep a straight face so the sales/promotion folks can try to sell the new 11:35 Conan.
Rots'O Ruck...I have to admit this will be fun to watch play itself out....
Peter Bright
Raul
Someone has to explain th appeal of Jay Leno. He is a horrible interviewer. His jokes are old-fashioned and boring. He comes of as fake and full of himself. Every other late night host from Leteerman, Ferguson, O'Brien, Kimmel and Stewart; has more creativity and humor then Leno will ever have. When he leaves, it will a new dawn.
Red Blanchard
They's be better off putting Red Blanchard on, even if he is 88
Sue
Leno viewers will follow him wherever he goes. Conan in not funny. NBC made a big mistake.
Jay all the way!
JAY ALL THE WAY! I love Jay, and will miss him. I hope he can get a NEW late night show on another station. Hopefully, one that begins at 10:30 p.m. (PST).
Saw him on his taping in April (on youtube.com)
with Glozell. Saw him at Hermosa Beach, CA 2x at the Sunday night show-where he tries out new material!
Jay-don't go away-where would we be without you.
Good sting on getting to the truth with these
NBC spamanagement too.
JAY LENO ROCKS!
88keys
Leno? Letterman? Conan? Fallon? Fuggedabout 'em. The savvy TV viewer at that hour is plugged into Stewart, Colbert or their TiVO!
Sisterhood of the Jay-Jay Club
Leno will not quit when NBC replaces him. He'll be doing something on TV, hopefully the ABC prime slot. And I and all his followers will go to ABC. And as for Conan and his lame 3 joke monologue and repeat 3rd grade skits, he can take NBC to the basement in late nite where NBC will then belong!
Bill
HUGE mistake NBC! Have you really thought this one through? Leno is going to crush Conan and whip up on Letterman like he usually does. Maybe now Letterman will beat The Tonight Show ratings something he has not been able with Leno at the helm.
Johnny Carson
NBC is continuing along the way to their goal of losing whatever little audience is left on network television. Leno will wind up on ABC (did you catch his joke on that last week?). He'll be opposite both O'Brien and Letterman and will win the time slot.
Carol
Sorry - guys! This is DUMB! In other words - NBC doesn't care if most of us don't watch! Conan is just too juvenile. SO - if that's what you want, NBC, have at it. For me - it will be another station at 11:35. Hmm- - - might even be before that!
Gosh - from the comments, it doesn't look like this is acceptable to most of us. We vote - by cahnging the dial!
R Becker
Time for Change , Sorry Jay, but just as the
greatest host's of late night TV goes, so do you.
Remember Jack Parr, how about Steve Allen, Dick
Cavot, and so,many more..
The "tonight Show" maybe NBC owned, But it will
alway's be the Show that Johnny Carson, made work..
Jay did a nice job, keeping it alive, until now,
but the time has come, to pass it along to someone
else, who will put thier own spin on it..right to
the rating's drain pipe.
TRhank Goodness we now have other options,
movies on DVD, Countless Cable options,and
computer's and webs like Youtube !
No longer does the american public have to
settle for TV as a late night babysitter
LANCE O
If NBC thought this through...they could have their cake...and eat it too. Why not fix sagging
prime time by putting Leno on with a new show 10-11 ET-PT M-F...and then mabye a SNL type show on Fridays. They don't have enough proven primetime shows anyway...ER is leaving...and they can use L and O 9-10. Plus...Jay is much cheaper than four hours of dramas...
kaye v
i will go with jay i donot like conan to bad nbc
Mike
I just have to say, as a fan of comedy, Jay Leno is an absolute basement level joke writer. His (way too long) monologue consists of making fun of celebriities and bringing up news stories over and over again pushing them into punchlines that just don't work.
If an ice cream factory explodes, Leno makes a joke about Kirsti Ally cleaning up the accident site, If there's a gay pride parade setup, leno's punchline will invariably involve Larry Craig or Clay Aiken. He still mentions the Clinton/Lebowski ordeal on a regular basis.
Long and short of what I'm trying to say is Leno is a hack and good riddance to bad rubbish. Say what you will about Conan at least there's a spark of creativity and trying new things instead of the same old jokes again and again.
Rick
I can't stand Conan. Thus, when Leno leaves, so will I. NBC must be managed by morons.
Jason
I like Conan's style, and I think he's naturally funnier than Jay Leno. I think Leno, if I had to guess, wants to move toward things with more intellectual appeal, although many fail to realize that Conan is truly intelligent himself, it's just hidden behind comedic antics and humor done at the expense of self...
I don't know if Conan will make the transition to straighter lined humor, and more focus on other people, the guests, and so on.... it's a different slot, a different game....
Even though I am only thirty, as one more tonight show transition takes place, I have to say, all hail to the king, Johnny Carson! Late night at its best!
It will be fun to see how it works out.
The J Man