# Jay Leno: After 22 Years, Final "Tonight" Show is Tonight **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 6, 2014, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651 "2014-02-06T11:11:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qwisp](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qwisp/32/397_2.png) [@Qwisp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qwisp)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/21 "2014-02-06T18:49:35Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I’m not old enough to remember CaRSON (I’ll be 36 in 3 weeks) but Carson is the GOAT in latenite. I have no idea what this means. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/22 "2014-02-06T18:58:46Z")
I’ve always tried to catch Jay’s Monday night \*Headlines \*segments. Other than that, I haven’t been a huge fan of any late night host since JC. Here’s a kick: According to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tonight_Showhttp://), even though Johnny was the tonight show host for 30 years and Jay for only 22, Jay hosted 4,610 episodes and Johnny only did 4,531. But then Johnny was known for taking a lot of time off. Jay’s had reruns, but he’s never had a guest host. ---
**Author:** ![Cartoonacy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/848f3c/32.png) [@Cartoonacy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartoonacy)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/23 "2014-02-06T18:59:50Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I’m not old enough to remember CaRSON (I’ll be 36 in 3 weeks) but Carson is the GOAT in latenite. Is that something like Han Solo in carbonite? ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/24 "2014-02-06T19:00:17Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > But you have to keep in mind also, that Leno’s tenure took place at time of major audience fragmentation. So, even if he did have a lot of really funny, outrageous moments on his show, they really wouldn’t hold the same iconic status as those that took place when Carson was pretty much the only name in late night. Exactly. Johnny Carson hosted a show back when there were three networks. And for a huge percentage of his tenure, he had no competition. ---
**Author:** ![Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba9def/32.png) [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Just_Asking_Questions)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/25 "2014-02-06T19:31:22Z")
> [@Qwisp](#): > > I have no idea what this means. I can’t speak to the CaPITALIZATION of CaRSON, but GOAT is Greatest of All Time. Me? I prefer Jack Paar’s Tonight Show. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/26 "2014-02-06T19:36:00Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > My favorite moments were when he was guest-hosting for Carson. One that sticks in my memory was when some zoo person came with a large toad, which he placed in Leno’s hand, sitting with it’s ass in his palm. > > Leno started doing schtick with it, holding it up, singing “A son! A son!” from _Fiddler On The Roof_ and started using it as a ventriloquist’s dummy “Say hello to the people, Jimmy!” Screamingly funny. Didn’t see that one. Somehow, it…I guess you had to have been there. ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/27 "2014-02-06T20:39:13Z")
For some reason Leno was a lot better as a guest than as a host. I saw him be a guest on Kimmel’s show and he was a riot. He used to be a recurring guest on Letterman, where he was kind of like Lewis Black on The Daily Show. Leno would come on and rant and rave about something and it was hysterical. Leno’s stand up act was golden too. I just always liked Dave better. Jay wasn’t bad. Heck, he was no. 1 in the ratings and that’s what counts. He’ll still be around somewhere on TV I suspect. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/28 "2014-02-06T20:46:38Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > Heck, he was no. 1 in the ratings and that’s what counts. Not to start a tangent, but: if you run the network he’s on, or advertise on it, sure, that’s what counts. Otherwise it doesn’t count for much of anything. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/29 "2014-02-06T21:45:52Z")
> [@Just\_Asking\_Questions](#): > > I can’t speak to the CaPITALIZATION of CaRSON, but GOAT is Greatest of All Time. Furthermore, I’m 35 and I remember CaRSON. He hosted up through 1992; I was 14 or so then. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/30 "2014-02-06T22:20:51Z")
From a ratings standpoint, I think NBC is foolish to let Leno go. The late night audience is aging, they apparently like Jay, he wants to keep going… I don’t see how Fallon is going to replicate that. ---
**Author:** ![Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/face_intentionally_left_blank/32/288_2.png) [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Face_Intentionally_Left_Blank)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2014, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/31 "2014-02-06T23:23:59Z")
Maybe any old folks Fallon loses will be made up for by slightly younger folks. I won’t be watching Leno’s last show, but I’ll watch Fallon’s first. I’ve never actually seen Fallon’s current show in it’s entirety - just bits here and there on Youtube - but still, I’m glad Leno’s done. He can go tend to his incredible classic car and motorcycle collection. Hell, with what he’s got, that’s a full-time job anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Rodgers01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b19c9b/32.png) [@Rodgers01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rodgers01)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/32 "2014-02-07T00:00:52Z")
> [@Face\_Intentionally\_Left\_Blank](#): > > Maybe any old folks Fallon loses will be made up for by slightly younger folks. Maybe, but I doubt it. It didn’t happen with Conan, and I think he has/had a more passionate following than Fallon does. That said, I’ve read that Fallon is going to do his “Tonight Show” from New York, which I think is a smart move. That’s not a comment on NY vs. LA, but just that it may indicate that Fallon is going to do the show his way, rather than try to fit it into the mold left by his predecessor. I think that was a trap Conan fell into and which may have been his undoing. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/33 "2014-02-07T00:32:53Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > That said, I’ve read that Fallon is going to do his “Tonight Show” from New York, which I think is a smart move. Maybe. It leaves a gap on the west coast that someone could fill. It’s not like there is a shortage of show biz folk on that side of the country. ---
**Author:** ![drastic\_quench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e36b37/32.png) [@drastic\_quench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drastic_quench)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/34 "2014-02-07T01:06:32Z")
Good riddance. I still remember him dancing on the graves of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman for over a year’s worth of monologues. I hope that workaholic dick hates retirement. ---
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/35 "2014-02-07T01:14:46Z")
Dunno how the capitalization got fubared but yeah, GOAT=Greatest Of All Time. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/36 "2014-02-07T01:34:22Z")
> [@zamboniracer](#): > > For some reason Leno was a lot better as a guest than as a host. I saw him be a guest on Kimmel’s show and he was a riot. He used to be a recurring guest on Letterman, where he was kind of like Lewis Black on The Daily Show. Leno would come on and rant and rave about something and it was hysterical. Leno’s stand up act was golden too. I just always liked Dave better. Jay wasn’t bad. Heck, he was no. 1 in the ratings and that’s what counts. He’ll still be around somewhere on TV I suspect. Yeah, I remember really looking forward to Leno’s appearances on Letterman. He did the angry young comic to perfection. I guess I stopped watching him when Jimmy Kimmel got his show. Kimmel’s stuff just seemed funnier, although at my age, I’m in Leno’s demographic. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/37 "2014-02-07T01:54:11Z")
> [@Rodgers01](#): > > From a ratings standpoint, I think NBC is foolish to let Leno go. The late night audience is aging, they apparently like Jay, he wants to keep going… I don’t see how Fallon is going to replicate that. They’ll flip for his Jim Morrison impression. It’s really, really good. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/38 "2014-02-07T02:46:32Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I’m not old enough to remember CaRSON (I’ll be 36 in 3 weeks) but Carson is the GOAT in latenite. I’m also younger than you and remember Johnny Carson. He was the best. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/39 "2014-02-07T02:54:03Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > I’m not old enough to remember CaRSON (I’ll be 36 in 3 weeks) but Carson is the GOAT in latenite. I’m 36 and I have many fond memories of watching the Johnny Carson Show (as we used to call it). I guess my parents were a little more lax about my bedtime than yours were. 😃 And yeah, Carson is king. Leno has never been anything but a pale imitation. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2014, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651/40 "2014-02-07T03:45:03Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > What are the Magical Leno moments that rival the things we remember about Carson? What will be featured on the half hour infomercial selling the _Best Of Leno_ 3 dvd set? The interesting thing is, even though he hasn’t won the ratings war, I expect the _Best of Letterman_ 3 dvd set would have plenty of classic moments. And will ultimately sell very well. Leno is dull as dull gets. How he has managed to hang on this long is beyond me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/jay-leno-after-22-years-final-tonight-show-is-tonight/680651.md?page=3)