# Has Letterman jumped the shark? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 17, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343 "2003-06-17T00:34:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![japatlgt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/df705f/32.png) [@japatlgt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/japatlgt)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/1 "2003-06-17T00:34:33Z")
David Letterman has decided to start taking some routine time off. He’s seemed a little tired of it lately after having suffered an illness… He’s filthy rich and could probably tell CBS (or anybody for that matter) to stick it. Could the king of late nite be on the way out? Who could replace him? ---
**Author:** ![wolf\_meister](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wolf_meister/32/15202_2.png) [@wolf\_meister](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf_meister)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/2 "2003-06-17T01:06:49Z")
To tell you the truth, I think Letterman “jumped the shark” with the jump from NBC to CBS. Not just because he changed networks but he seemed (IMHO) to be a little too whiny about the whole deal. Also, he didn’t seem to have that “hip” edge that he used to have with his Late Night show at 12:30. Again it’s just IMHO. Your mileage may vary. ---
**Author:** ![Torgo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@Torgo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Torgo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/3 "2003-06-17T01:26:13Z")
Agreed. When he gave up the likes of Brother Theodore, running over stuff with a steamroller, “Mr. Curious”, chair-races in the NBC hallways and bellowing at the Today Show through a loudspeaker for A-list yawn-bots, the die was cast. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/4 "2003-06-17T01:32:33Z")
Yeah, I’m afraid Letterman lost it many years ago. It might not have been as soon as the swtich from NBC to CBS, but it was certainly by 1996 or so when Robert Morton left as executive producer. He should be replaced by somebody you haven’t really heard much of before, so they can develop the show into their own personality. ---
**Author:** ![White\_Lightning](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f04885/32.png) [@White\_Lightning](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/White_Lightning)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/5 "2003-06-17T02:15:24Z")
Yup. I remember being tantalized by the show in my early teens when I finally started being able to stay up and watch it because I didn’t get a lot of what was going on. But after high school when I started watching late night TV regularly, it was just pretty blah. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/6 "2003-06-17T02:51:02Z")
Still, I’d rather see Dave on a bad night than Leno on a good one. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/7 "2003-06-17T03:32:10Z")
You’re in the minority. Leno has been crushing Letterman in the ratings since 1996. That’s one of the reasons Morton left, but nobody since has been able to change it. ---
**Author:** ![Murcielago](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/da6949/32.png) [@Murcielago](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Murcielago)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/8 "2003-06-17T04:13:34Z")
Sadly, Letterman has not been innovative in quite a while. Now the show is little more than just another promotional vehicle, the interviews are no longer edgy. That said, there has never been a time when I would switch over to Leno. Jay is the worst, I would rather watch that infomercial for the tool that sharpens drill bits. ---
**Author:** ![Trigonal\_Planar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/0ea827/32.png) [@Trigonal\_Planar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trigonal_Planar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 4:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/9 "2003-06-17T04:46:20Z")
He’s deffinitely getting old fast. I’d agree on him jumping the shark when he transferred networks. But ya, somehow, he’s still better than Leno. ---
**Author:** ![skaterboarder87](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@skaterboarder87](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skaterboarder87)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/10 "2003-06-17T05:35:49Z")
I like Leno. But you know who I love? Conan O’Brian!! ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/11 "2003-06-17T06:01:07Z")
I agree that Leno stinks…his monologues are completely awful. The only good thing about the Tonight Show are the newspaper clippings. I still like Dave, although he hasn’t been incredibly innovative as of late. There’s just something about him that makes me laugh. Jman ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/12 "2003-06-17T06:45:49Z")
I’m not the person to ask. I don’t think i’ve ever once laughed at a Letterman joke or gag. ---
**Author:** ![green\_bladder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/73ab20/32.png) [@green\_bladder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/green_bladder)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/13 "2003-06-17T07:38:25Z")
I think he has always been more talented than Leno, but he does seem to be whining qutie a lot these days. I hope we get to see more guests hosting the _Late Show_, as it’ll be a bit more refreshing to watch. ---
**Author:** ![lorinada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5e925/32.png) [@lorinada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorinada)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/14 "2003-06-17T07:45:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mhendo \* > \*\*I’m not the person to ask. I don’t think i’ve ever once laughed at a Letterman joke or gag. \*\* Me either. I have never seen the big appeal. Even way back in the early 80’s, which is when I first knew of him. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/15 "2003-06-17T11:35:35Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Exapno Mapcase \* > \*\*You’re in the minority. Leno has been crushing Letterman in the ratings since 1996. That’s one of the reasons Morton left, but nobody since has been able to change it. \*\* Oh, yeah, I forgot, higher ratings = funnier. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/16 "2003-06-17T11:40:53Z")
BTW, Leno started winning the ratings war the night he had Hugh Grant on which just happened to be the same week he got busted with the prostitute. It’s all in the timing. ---
**Author:** ![KGS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/90ced4/32.png) [@KGS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KGS)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/17 "2003-06-17T13:45:27Z")
Dave’s monologues have sucked for a long time, and his pre-interview schtick continually gets more and more disjointed and boring as time passes, but he still generates a few laughs from me with nutty things like “Will it Float?”, “Dr. Phil’s Words of Wisdom”, and of course the venerable “Top Ten List”. CBS would be a fool to replace Dave, though. Except for possibly “Survivor”, he’s the biggest thing on that network. Hell, ABC was willing to dump Ted Koppel & “Nightline” just to nab 'im! ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/18 "2003-06-17T14:08:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by skaterboarder87 \* > \*\*I like Leno. But you know who I love? Conan O’Brian!! \*\* I dunno. I watch the Conan reruns on Comedy Central. I usually enjoy his interviews and he seems to be having fun, as do his guests. But I find his skits to be truly horrendous. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/19 "2003-06-17T16:14:14Z")
Having said i don’t like Letterman, i should add that i don’t find Jay Leno very funny either. His monologues suck and he’s so politically on-the-fence and non-commital that he’s boring as hell. I’d find him more interesting if he actually took a position on something, even if it were a position that i disagreed with. I watch on Monday nights so i can see “Headlines,” and i also really like Jaywalking. But even on the nights i watch, i turn off before the guests come on, because i really have no interest seeing an “interview” with some famous person who is only the show to plug his or her latest movie or album. The whole show is one big commercial. And what the fuck is with Howie Mandel? I hate that fucker, and don’t him at all funny. ---
**Author:** ![Peg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b38774/32.png) [@Peg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peg)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343/20 "2003-06-17T16:27:43Z")
Leno is (or used to be) a great stand-up comedian. He’s gone bland on the Tonight Show probably because he can’t offend huge chunks of American even if everyone knows he is joking. Such is life being on Network TV. Of the 2, I prefer David Letterman, but what do I know, I’m usually asleep by the time their shows air. Mostly I go with what guest pops up. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-letterman-jumped-the-shark/182343.md?page=2)