In the midst of barbs flying at Jay Leno from Conan O’Brien, David Letterman and even Jimmy Kimmel, Ebersol has stepped in to defend Jay, saying simply “We backed the wrong guy.”You can read Ebersol’s interview with “The New York Times” here.
Photo Credit: NBC
Did you see the "10 at 10" on Leno last night? Jimmy Kimmel was the guest and he hammered Jay over and over for his treatment of Conan. Jay tried to laugh it off, but it was obvious that he wasn't happy about it. Don't expect to see Kimmel on any future Leno shows.
ReplyDeleteDid not watch but read all about it. Jay had always treated Kimmel so well too.
ReplyDeleteIt absolutely pains me that everyone is taking this out on Jay. It's not his fault. That's why I really appreciate Ebersol coming out and defending him.
I bet Dick's dead son would have been on Team Coco. It's a generational thing as much as anything.
ReplyDeleteWell, actually this really is Leno's fault. He was going to retire in the midst of high ratings, forcing NBC to scramble to safeguard their talent (it was pretty much between giving Conan the Tonight Show or losing him).
ReplyDeleteThen Leno pulled a "never mind" and they had to scramble to give him another show, which played more than a little havoc with the affiliates (not to mention Leno's old show). Over the last few months, Leno made repeated statements that he'd like The Tonight Show back if NBC would let him, and maintained good-but-not-great ratings.
Sure, NBC is acting stupid, but this is completely Leno's fault, and he seems too dense to understand that he's basically screwed up an entire network's evening-to-night schedule and played havoc with several classic franchises that have been broadcast for decades under talents far brighter than his.
Clumpy,
ReplyDeleteAs a card-carrying member of Team Leno, I must disagree with you. Jay was going to "retire" because NBC asked him to and he felt like it was the right thing.
Do I think he's completely innocent here? No. But he did not ask NBC to move him back to 11:30, which is what everyone has been saying lately...
So just to be clear you love the man who demanded exclusive rights to the XFL?
ReplyDeleteGo to Funny or Die and see Leno's comments from 2004 about NBC wanting to turn the show over to Conan. There's a reason Leno doesn't have kids, he would eat them.