Monday, March 18, 2024

Jay Leno Compares NBC to March Madness: “Who Will Be Eliminated?”

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Jay Leno kicked off Thursday night’s monologue with his fourth jab in a row at his employer. “Are you all excited about March Madness? People talk about who’s in, who’s out, who’s going to be eliminated? And that’s just here at NBC!” Leno said as the show opened. Leno added, a little disingenuously:  I’ve never been in the paper so much!” It’s not exactly true. In January 2010 he was in the paper just as much, when NBC forced him out for Conan O’Brien, then needed Leno to come back and ousted O’Brien to TBS. O’Brien took between $20 and $50 million with him as a consolation prize, but the damage was done.

All day Thursday there were tons of stories popping up in the press about Leno being ousted again from the “Tonight” show even though his ratings are higher than David Letterman’s or Jimmy Kimmel’s. Leno even beats Kimmel in the youth demo 18-49. But NBC is panicking about ratings, the future and young people. Meanwhile there were reports tonight that NBC chief Bob Greenblatt may have taken Leno to dinner after his taping tonight–it could be going on right now at 8:48pm Pacific–to mollify him.

I hope there’s  taste tester in attendance.

Roger Friedman
Roger Friedmanhttps://www.showbiz411.com
Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. His movie reviews are carried by Rotten Tomatoes, and he is a member of both the movie and TV branches of the Critics Choice Awards. His articles have appeared in dozens of publications over the years including New York Magazine, where he wrote the Intelligencer column in the mid 90s and covered the OJ Simpson trial, and Fox News (when it wasn't so crazy) where he covered Michael Jackson. He is also the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.
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