Jay Leno's Last Monologue (Till September)

By Jeralyn, Section Media
Posted on Fri May 29, 2009 at 10:07:29 PM EST
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Jay Leno says goodbye to the Tonight Show after 17 years tonight. Here are some highlights from his monologue.

As you know, this is our last show after 17 years. I want to thank all the people that made it possible - Michael Jackson, Monica Lewinsky, Bill Clinton ...

[More...]

As you know, President Obama was here in Los Angeles this week to bring his message of change to Hollywood, and really, there's no place in America that loves change more than Hollywood, the place that brought you four TERMINATOR sequels, ten POLICE ACADEMY movies and 29 STAR TREK films. This town runs on new and innovative ideas, doesn't it folks?

It's not on here yet and supposedly he has a surprise. James Taylor does a great performance of Sweet Baby James.

Update: Best show ending in ages. Leno names all the staff on the show who married each other and says he wonders how many kids were born to these couples during the 17 years. A curtain opens, and there are 68 kids, all born to parents who met each other wile working on the show.

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Jay Leno's Last Monologue (Till September) | 27 comments (27 topical)

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Jay Leno....eeeeeek! (5.00 / 6) (#5)
by Radiowalla on Fri May 29, 2009 at 10:34:20 PM EST

Spare me!

His obsessive Clinton bashing, evenly distributed between Bill and Hillary, was cheap and facile to the point of nauseum. No one in the media was more besotted by Monica than Jay Leno, except perhaps for Chris Matthews who still resents the b.j.

So Leno's gone? I wouldn't have noticed if I hadn't read it here.

: Bereft of new (5.00 / 1) (#24)
by KeysDan on Sat May 30, 2009 at 11:07:33 AM EST

sources of humor, Leno falls back on ten-year old Monica jokes, or his old reliable: homophobic locker room banter with his obnoxious bandleader, Kevin Eubanks. Seventeen years from now we will probably being hearing the same old Leno standbys.

: You said it better (none / 0) (#13)
by gyrfalcon on Fri May 29, 2009 at 11:48:27 PM EST

than I did above. And it wasn't just the Clintons, it's everybody. Ugh. Snicker, snicker, snicker. P.U., as my dad used to say.

: 17 years is a long time (none / 0) (#26)
by ruffian on Sat May 30, 2009 at 03:30:13 PM EST

not to watch even one episode of the Tonight Show. But I think I did it. My, how time flies. It feels like last week Johnny signed off.

Leno has never interested me (5.00 / 4) (#14)
by shoephone on Fri May 29, 2009 at 11:52:45 PM EST

He is the most UNfunny late night host that ever was. I've never been able to tolerate more than about 90 seconds of his schtick. He was the worst choice to succeed Johnny Carson. And for those who care about such things, Carson wanted Letterman to succeed him on NBC and he continued to write jokes for Letterman's (CBS Late Night) monologues until he died.

I think NBC's decision to put Leno on every single weeknight in the prime time 10 p.m. spot is a HUGE mistake for the network.

I have to wonder how long it will be (5.00 / 1) (#15)
by andgarden on Fri May 29, 2009 at 11:57:23 PM EST

before some affiliates decide to sell infomercials at 10PM.


: LOL. "Miracle Chin Reducer" (none / 0) (#19)
by shoephone on Sat May 30, 2009 at 03:01:13 AM EST

"It worked for me, and it can work for you too! Just call the 800 number at the bottom of your screen and get ready for a whole new look."
(cue testimonial)

I'm with you (none / 0) (#27)
by ruffian on Sat May 30, 2009 at 03:31:59 PM EST

I won't watch his new show, but am looking forward to see how it does in the ratings, just out of curiosity.


I like Jay and laugh out loud (5.00 / 0) (#16)
by Jeralyn on Sat May 30, 2009 at 12:12:02 AM EST

at some of his stuff. Conan was funny tonight on Jay's show telling a story about the CEO of GE coming to visit and the power went out in the studio.

Leno is a very hardworking guy...I think you are all selling him short. His job is entertainment, not political analysis.

: I like him too (5.00 / 0) (#17)
by Madeline on Sat May 30, 2009 at 12:30:14 AM EST

I'll miss him.

: Leno was campy (none / 0) (#22)
by ChiTownMike on Sat May 30, 2009 at 10:35:17 AM EST

As in over the top exaggerated. I didn't like him either. Plus he laughed at his own jokes constantly. Big comedic sin.
People have different tastes in what they like. How can anyone sell him short after 17 years of being able to watch him? 17 years is plenty of time to judge if he is a fit for you are not.

James Taylor was (5.00 / 0) (#18)
by Jeralyn on Sat May 30, 2009 at 12:30:35 AM EST

the musical guest, he sang Sweet Baby James, it was really sentimental. I think the show isn't sad tonight because Jay's coming back in Sept.

I'm glad he's coming back even though I rarely watch it (maybe once a month.) I guess I'm not a "change" person.

Jay was a good stand in for everyman (5.00 / 0) (#25)
by Manuel on Sat May 30, 2009 at 02:32:16 PM EST

Jay never took himself or his targets too seriously and he wasn't worried about who he might offend. A lot of his Clinton material was funny and I don't think the Clintons took it personally. Does anyone recall Hillary's appearance on the Tonight show after the Bosnia sniper flap?

Did it go over the line sometimes? Of course, but a little risk taking is good in late night comedy. Carson was a tad too bland for my taste and Jay delivered a break from that. No doubt, Conan will bring a different style to the job.

It'll be interesting to hear (3.50 / 2) (#2)
by Inspector Gadget on Fri May 29, 2009 at 10:24:26 PM EST

what happens to the ratings when Conan takes over. Now, that's a personality that really requires work to enjoy.

Conan reputedly has a very blue state audience (none / 0) (#3)
by andgarden on Fri May 29, 2009 at 10:27:42 PM EST

Maybe (none / 0) (#6)
by eric on Fri May 29, 2009 at 10:35:42 PM EST

he will get some Democrats to tune in. I don't know any that watch now.


I haven't watched since the Starr Report (none / 0) (#7)
by andgarden on Fri May 29, 2009 at 10:41:02 PM EST

when I was in middle school.

Conan is quirky, and I don't know if he can really pull this off. He supposedly attracts no audience in the south.


No audience in the south? (2.00 / 1) (#9)
by Thanin on Fri May 29, 2009 at 11:23:42 PM EST

I admire that.


Yeah, (none / 0) (#10)
by andgarden on Fri May 29, 2009 at 11:29:30 PM EST

but the suits won't like it.


: True... (5.00 / 1) (#11)
by Thanin on Fri May 29, 2009 at 11:36:44 PM EST

which is too bad. Conan wrote some of the best Simpsons episodes, ever.

Indeed (none / 0) (#4)
by eric on Fri May 29, 2009 at 10:33:53 PM EST

Leno spoke to a broad American audience, the South and trailer parks included. His was a comedy that anyone with a passable knowledge of events from Fox News and the Enquirer could get. I wonder how Conan will do.


: Leon's comedy (5.00 / 5) (#12)
by gyrfalcon on Fri May 29, 2009 at 11:46:58 PM EST

is very often mean and personally degrading to its targets, something Johnny Carson never, ever did. Despite the jovial charm, he has a nasty, nasty heart.

The effect of the 10pm slot (none / 0) (#8)
by TeresaInSnow2 on Fri May 29, 2009 at 11:07:29 PM EST

will be interesting to watch.

I think it will be a disaster (none / 0) (#20)
by jbindc on Sat May 30, 2009 at 08:37:50 AM EST

People will watch at first, out of the novelty, but they'll go back to cable and the drama shows on at 10 pm on other networks.

For the record - I always liked Leno, although I haven't been able to watch "The Tonight Show" since I lived in Texas in the early '90s (where it was on a 10:30). I'm also ticked, because I'm one of the people who watch drama shows (many on NBC), that they have canceled to squeeze more popular shows to make room for Leno. What I can't believe is that Letterman is still on the air - I have never found him to be funny - his jokes are way too predictable, and I barely crack a smile when he performs.


: I think it will bomb too (none / 0) (#23)
by ChiTownMike on Sat May 30, 2009 at 10:42:13 AM EST

Leno is not ready for Prime Time. Never will be.I see his new show being quickly canceled.
People generally watch the 11:00 pm talk shows for two reasons. The guests. And there is nothing else to watch on broadcast TV at 11:00 pm.
Oh and there is a third reason. You can fall asleep at anytime during the show and not feel like you missed anything important!

I Got All Excited. (none / 0) (#21)
by Sweet Sue on Sat May 30, 2009 at 09:58:46 AM EST

I got all excited when I read "Jay Leno's Last Monologue. Then I read "till September."
Now, I'm all deflated like a tragic, discarded balloon.
Well, at least, CBS has picked up "Medium" so I'll still have something to watch at 10PM.

One person's opinion... . (none / 0) (#28)
by rghojai on Sun May 31, 2009 at 09:47:52 AM EST

I'd watch some Leno, have been watching more in recent months because it's on in Kuwait, there's darn little else on and Letterman's on at 12:45 a.m., usually too late for me.

Have long thought Leno--and all of 'em--could get at least a little too mean relative to weight, people having serious problems, etc. Much respect for Craig Ferguson's thoughts about why he stopped going after Britney.

My sense was that Letterman and Conan did more of that than Leno. I have seen bits of Letterman when I've stayed up late. He strikes me as having too much of a sneering tone and tiresome schtick. Conan struck me as too much making the show about himself.

Arguably nobody will match Carson's ability to seemingly thread a needle of some good, sharp digs while coming across as warm and friendly. To think about it, kinda like a line I heard about Clinton--smiling and friendly while he slips the knife in. (No pun intended.)

To be sure, they all do more than their share of rehash. In recent months I've heard Conan do Kirstie Alley jokes.

BTW, I know lotsa Democrats who watch(ed) Leno.