For the life of me, I can’t put my finger on it, but Leno just weirds me out, from time to time.
It will happen during the monologue, a skit, during an interview. Don’t know if it’s his contorted smirk, his shifty eyes, or that weird wiggling of his head, but when I watch him, a voice in my head says, “This guy ain’t what he seems.”
Yea or nay?
I don’t find him creepy, just annoying as hell.
No.
I think he’s too ugly and weird looking to be making a living having people look at him.
I also think he’s a terrible interviewer, especially when it comes to women. He seems really uncomfortable around women, and occasionally his jokes border on misogynistic.
Not creepy, just boring and stiff. His whole persona is suited to nightclubs and playing Vegas, since it worked for him. He’s one of those comedians who always seem to be “on”, like David Brenner, Fred Travalena, Rich Little, and Jeff Foxworthy. They almost always seem to be doing their act, no matter the situation.
Ever seen one of his acting roles, not playing himself? I saw him in the movie Silver Bears and an old episode of Good Times, nothing to write home about.
Watch Jimmy Kimmel.
Widdershins may have put his finger on it. Leno’s background is standup comedy in all venues including strip clubs.
To compare, Leno’s main competitor Letterman’s background is mostly broadcast (including a children’s TV show in Indianapolis). Granted, Letterman also paid some dues doing standup at The Comedy Shop in LA, but even then he was writing material for TV sitcoms.
This background seems to mold how both men approach their material. Leno has more direct sexual references in his monologues. Letterman seems to prefer innuendo and double entantre.
This difference didn’t escape the TV censors, either. In the television parential ratings Letterman gets a TV-PG, while Leno gets a slightly dirtier TV-14.
Could it be the content of the material that makes you uncomfortable?
I think he’s kind of annoying in an impish kind of way, with that weird laugh. But I don’t find him creepy.
Creepy? No.
Boring, dull, not funny? Yes.
Today I was wondering how the man landed the show. 
I’ve also noticed–who could miss it?–that Leno is a terrible interviewer. Worse, is his razzing of certain guests that sometimes borders on the pathological. I mean, what’s your problem, man?
I just see this quirky, passive-aggressive, oddball side to him that really creeps me out, at certain times.
Doug Bowe: Content of Leno’s material? Um, no. On occasion, he’s quite funny. Often, however, he sucks–and his skits are lame, lame, lame.
Makes my skin crawl. I watch it occasionally for specific guests (who he never lets get a bloody word in edgeways). What bugs me most is him and Kevins (imho) blatently homophobic patter, they sound like Beavis and Butthead. I have yet to see a show where some comment was not made.
Is that right? Wow. I always thought it would be the other way around, that Letterman, being the envelope pusher, would have a more risque show. Well, as risque as one can be on network TV. And I always thought Leno was the more whitebread of the two.
Creepy? No, not at all. More than a little annoying, though.
Worse still, I just don’t think he’s very bright. And that works strongly against him in bits like “Jaywalking,” because I’m not at all convinced HE knows most of the answers to the “simple” questions he poses to passersby on the street.
I hadn’t thought he was creepy until I saw him interview Lisa Marie Presley.
He TOTALLY creeped me out during that one. It was actually painful to watch. Did anyone else see that one?
I came away from reading Leno’s book “Leading with my chin” thinking this guy is a nut. He used to sleep in the alley behind comedy clubs waiting for them to open the next day. Talk about an attention whore!
Well, I’m already on record as not being a Leno fan, but I can’t hold this anecdote against him.
Show biz is tough! It’s hard for a newcomer to get a break, and a guy who wants to make it (as an actor, a musician, a comedian, whatever) can’t afford to be too proud.
Bruce Springsteen slept in a hall outside John Hammond’s office, hoping to get an audition, and it worked! Of course, thousands of other ambitious performers have slept outside moguls’ offices and gotten nothing (or a beating) for their trouble!
Point is, a nobody who wants to succeed in show biz has to be persistent, and may have to go to desperate lengths to get the attention of the people who can give him a gig. If Leno was willing to endure a lot of grief and discomfort to get a shot at the big time, I sure don’t hold that against him.
I find him funny and cute. I’d do 'im. If it weren’t for that pesky wife who is the love of his life. And he’s got a reputation for being one of the nicest, most generous, and most hard-working guys in Hollywood. Go figure. I never thought anyone could put him in the “ugly” column.
I guess I’m a square. I always thought his monologues were pretty damn funny. So is his “headlines” bit. His other skits suck, though…Timmy
I have a feeling some of the people who appear on Leno’s “Jaywalking” segments are pretending to not know the right answers because they know they’ll be on TV if they give some insanely incorrect response. If they answer correctly their appearance won’t air.
If Jay came up to me and asked me what the capital of the United States is I could easily blurt out, “It’s Washington, D.C.” That wouldn’t get me any air time. If I said, “uhhh, it’s Seattle, because that’s in Washington, am I right?” then, in spite of looking like an uneducated fool in front of millions of TV viewers, at least I’d get some national exposure and the bragging rights to go along with it.