# The Jay Leno Show **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 14, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106 "2009-09-14T23:16:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2009, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/1 "2009-09-14T23:16:38Z")
Well tongiht 9/14/09 opens a new era in network TV. Jay Leno will get an hour show five nights a week. Any thoughts? Will you be watching it? I probably will for the first couple of days “just to see.” Do you think it’ll last? What effect, if any, will it have on the Tonight show at 11:35p (10:35p Central)? After it airs tonight let us know here on the board what you thought of it? Or won’t you be watching at all, or pehaps you just fall into the category of “WHO CARES!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/2 "2009-09-15T00:30:46Z")
I won’t bother. I didn’t watch him at 11:30; why should I watch him at 10? I want to see drama on TV. I’m really sick of talking heads. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/3 "2009-09-15T00:54:26Z")
I’ll watch. We usually watch the 10 O’clock news, but it’s been mostly ads for American Idol and 24 posing as news for the last couple years. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/4 "2009-09-15T01:04:07Z")
I’m a long-time Letterman fan, and have never cared much for Leno. I don’t expect much, but I’ll watch tonight, just to see. I may not be able to see it again for a couple of weeks, since I’ll be traveling, but I may check in again in after that. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/5 "2009-09-15T01:19:02Z")
I will watch “Headlines”:). But if I see interviews with those morons-on-the-street who don’t know the name of the nation’s capitol, forget it!:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/6 "2009-09-15T01:19:31Z")
Monday night is “Headlines” night. I am also waiting for the phony photo booth. I like her voice. I’ll be there. ---
**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:** [September 15, 2009, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/7 "2009-09-15T01:19:45Z")
Haven’t turned the TV on for days. Why should I start now? ---
**Author:** ![Shawn1767](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Shawn1767](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shawn1767)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/8 "2009-09-15T03:09:01Z")
Just watched it. Will never watch it again. Whoa, that was pretty lame. The carwash thing? That was kind of painful. I got that feeling that where you are uncomfortable for someone because it’s just not working. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/9 "2009-09-15T03:25:50Z")
Meh. I won’t be back. They started out with a lame taped comedy bit with a guy providing “entertainment” to a bemused young woman while her car was being washed. It would have been moderately amusing if it had been about half as long. But they had three months to put together something to kick off the new show with, and this is the best they could do? Wow. Seinfeld came out and did some strained rehearsed banter with Jay, including a remote appearance by Oprah. Jay did a faux interview with President Obama by intercutting the president’s actual comments on 60 Minutes with funny questions from Jay. It was the funniest thing in the show, by far. Kanye West, who had been booked to perform with Jay-Zee and Rhianna, came out and had a tearful Hugh Grant moment apologizing for his outburst at the VMA. And then the three did their number, which I didn’t listen to. (Rhianna looked pretty nice. I had never seen her before.) He closed with the Headlines, which IIRC, was usually a warm-up bit on The Tonight Show, right? And it’s supposed to be the comedy topper on this one? Lame and anti-climactic. The new set is very nice. There’s no desk: Jay sits side-by-side with his guest. And they have a big stage off to the side for the musicians. But how good can the show be if the best thing about it is the set? ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/10 "2009-09-15T03:34:49Z")
I’m sort of hoping it fails so Letterman retires (I think he’s just holding on at this point so he can declare some sort of victory over Leno) and Craig Ferguson can take his spot and I can go to bed earlier. I know that’s selfish of me, but I can’t help the way I feel, damn it. ---
**Author:** ![MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c0e974/32.png) [@MPB\_in\_Salt\_Lake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MPB_in_Salt_Lake)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/11 "2009-09-15T03:35:49Z")
As someone who admittedly does not usually find Jay Leno very funny, but has heard (here on the Straight Dope and elsewhere) that he is generally a good guy and an all around decent person, I really was hoping for this new launch to be a rousing success for him. That said, if this is the best he can do for his big initial debut, I am afraid that both Jay Leno and NBC have made a mistake. I will watch again of course, (anyone can have an off night) but I thought tonight was less entertaining than an average episode of Conan, Craig Ferguson or even Jimmy Kimmel. For all the hype and promotion, they needed much stronger material (root beer summit) Hope he can step up the funny, or I dont see him lasting long at the new time slot… ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/12 "2009-09-15T03:42:01Z")
In the past, his monologue and Headlines were a cue to enjoy them then fall asleep. I will be falling asleep an hour and five minutes earlier. Really, as a resident of the CTZ I cannot imagine how east-coasters saw Jay and still made it to work by eight the next day, and I had customers who began calling me at 6:30 my time. ---
**Author:** ![ShelliBean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f9ae1b/32.png) [@ShelliBean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShelliBean)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/13 "2009-09-15T03:42:27Z")
> [@TWDuke](#): > > I’m sort of hoping it fails so Letterman retires (I think he’s just holding on at this point so he can declare some sort of victory over Leno) and Craig Ferguson can take his spot and I can go to bed earlier. > > I know that’s selfish of me, but I can’t help the way I feel, damn it. Amen, man. I have a healthy respect for Letterman because I grew up on him, but I really want to go to bed with Ferguson. OK, that sounds weird but I think Ferguson would appreciate it, and Letterman wouldn’t. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 4:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/14 "2009-09-15T04:41:56Z")
> [@commasense](#): > > The new set is very nice. There’s no desk: Jay sits side-by-side with his guest. And they have a big stage off to the side for the musicians. > > But how good can the show be if the best thing about it is the set? As a set designer, I’m always on the lookout for nice sets, but I also know that if the set’s the thing that most people notice, then the show’s no good. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/15 "2009-09-15T05:33:10Z")
I thought it was OK, there’s not much else on in the 9pm-10pm slot (10pm-11pm Eastern) that I like so I’ll probably leave the set on. 🙂 What do you think the effect of this show will be on the other late night shows? How do you think it’ll fare for NBC. Remember this show is cheap to put on so it doesn’t have to pull in lower ratings than ABC and CBS and still be more profitable, 'cause it won’t cost nearly as much to put on. ---
**Author:** ![BigBertha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@BigBertha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigBertha)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/16 "2009-09-15T06:06:55Z")
I stopped watching the Tonight Show when he left, and will watch this, just because. I missed the first segment. Is Jerry ever comfortable in interviews? It was weird having headlines be the closer. Odd coincidence they had booked kanye, it probably pulled in more viewers because of that. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/17 "2009-09-15T06:29:12Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > Remember this show is cheap to put on so it doesn’t have to pull in lower ratings than ABC and CBS and still be more profitable, 'cause it won’t cost nearly as much to put on. It’s cheap, but that doesn’t help when you’re pulling in cable-like ratings. No one will pay very much for the ads if it does that poorly. Also, I read an article about how all the NBC local affiliates are upset because fewer people watching at 10 will hurt the lead-in to the local 11 o’clock newscast, which is apparently the big money maker for local stations. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 7:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/18 "2009-09-15T07:06:24Z")
I’m not a big fan of _ER_ or the various _L&O_ franchises, but having your show at 10 still sets the bar higher than the 11:30 spot. I have no intention of watching Jay, but if I were, I would expect primetime quality, not late night shtick. He seems like a nice guy but I really do hope it fails so the network executives can focus more on creating quality shows with mass appeal instead of copping out with what seems only like an excuse to save a few bucks. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/19 "2009-09-15T07:11:46Z")
A mediocre opening. No different than the Tonight Show with Jay Leno. I switched channels during the Kanye interview. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [September 15, 2009, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106/20 "2009-09-15T07:28:19Z")
I have always been a fan of Leno, and still am - but I grant you this was not the most exciting of grand beginnings. It was more like putting on an old pair of shoes that had new soles…comfy, familiar and ready for more miles. Still, better that most of the reality crap they have on other networks, and maybe I can start faking myself out and watch this and go to sleep earlier. I’ll keep watching. Tomorrow is Tom Cruise…nothing is more fun than to watch that closet case Scientoloweirdo’s antics. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-jay-leno-show/510106.md?page=2)