Having not yet seen the full 60 Minutes with the (only time will tell if he is actually gone to stay) Tonight Show departing Jay Leno, I read some brief excerpts yesterday and then had this little acid splash to offer on my FB page:
every kid with a dream of making it in comedy would give pert near anything for fifteen minutes...you've had more than thirty years, Jay....shut up....
Today, still having not yet seen the full interview, I came across what I think is a reasonable perspective on the whole dealio, written by Jeff Jensen of Entertainment Weekly.
Jay Leno’s blitz of interviews in advance of his mandatory retirement from The Tonight Show reminds us that a graceful exit is hard to do — especially when people won’t let you.
Anyone expecting or wanting some sour chin music from the iconic comedian during his much-hyped appearance on Sunday’s 60 Minutes was probably disappointed. But it was tart enough, thanks to Steve Kroft’s decision to cast Leno’s story as a cultural flashpoint for a seismic generational shift, with aging baby boomers ceding/losing power to their kids and grandkids. CBS never accused NBC of ageism, but it used some choice factoids and soundbites from Leno to suggest that the network wasn’t doing right by its good and faithful servant, still the No. 1 player in late night. Following an intro in which Kroft cited research showing Leno to be the fifth most popular personality on TV and pitched his twilight-of-the-boomers premise, the piece proper began with Leno — jokingly — telling the story that he says he tells any newbie in the business, that the reason why showbiz pays so well is because “eventually, you are going to get screwed. That’s the way it works… That’s the way these things are.” No effort was made to define “it” or put “these things” in context (or ask NBC for comment) or what fairness looks like or should look like in an ad-supported business in which not all demographic groups are monetized equally. Leno might be the fifth most popular personality on television, but these days, that distinction comes with a trail of tiny little asterisks.
So began a profile that depicted a Leno trying to have it all ways. War-scarred victim. Thick-skinned team player. Relevant cultural icon. Contented soon-to-be retiree. Tireless entertainer. Everyman. Rich man. The only role he resisted was the one 60 Minutes wanted most — a Late Night King Lear, a sad and bitter old man who just doesn’t know when to quit.
Kroft’s piece doted on the “bizarre” “debacle” that was NBC’s first attempt to retire Leno from The Tonight Show at the height of his powers back in 2009 and replace him with Conan O’Brien. Kroft’s chronicle certainly flattered Leno, casting shade on the Team Coco narrative that Leno stole The Tonight Show back from him. Leno certainly appreciated this perspective (so did his wife, Mavis), as it mirrored his own. He was “blindsided”; it was like being dumped by a girlfriend; Conan acted unprofessionally. (I’m curious to see if and how O’Brien might respond to this interview.) During a trip to Leno’s airplane hangars, home to his legendary collection of vintage roadsters and muscle cars (Leno’s only extracurricular activity outside of his career), Kroft confronted Leno on his alarming lack of other interests and emotional growth. Leno balked, and a visiting Tim Allen squirmed. It was awkward for everyone.
The loaded ambiguities of Leno’s 60 Minutes interview were clarified to some degree during a joint Jay-Jimmy interview with Matt Lauer on the Today show Monday morning. It was an excerpt from a longer sit-down that’s scheduled to air next week; NBC either wanted to capitalize on Leno’s 60 Minutes appearance with a next-day follow-up, or do some damage control, or both. Leno insisted that unlike the Conan situation, in which he was told he had to give up The Tonight Show, this time, with the Fallon situation, he was asked, and he agreed, and now, while he’d love to keep working, he is ready to leave. Fallon said he and Leno speak every few weeks, that Jay “roots for me” by praising his work. Both comedians said all the right things, although coming off the 60 Minutes interview, it was easy to question their sincerity.
It sucks getting fired from a job you love, regardless of how wealthy you are, and especially if you find your identity in your work, as Leno clearly does. Leno deserves a dignified exit — and Leno needs to put himself in a position where he can exit with dignity. If the 60 Minutes interview didn’t serve his interest, ultimately, that’s on him. NBC is not making a mistake in replacing him now, with Fallon. Leno is No. 1 now, but the late-night culture and business is changing and evolving; Fallon represents NBC’s best bet, at present, to transform The Tonight Show into the buzzy, transmedia entertainment enterprise that shows its need to be moving forward. Fallon represents the future. That’s a bitter pill to swallow if you’re Jay Leno. But he’s swallowing it. We shouldn’t be surprised if he winces while it’s going down.
Post Mr. Jensen's observations, a few of my own....
.....first, in my humble o, the last vestiges of legitimate journalism and/or, more to the point, non-tabloid attitude departed 60 Minutes with the departure of Mike Wallace and his peers (due respect to the still living and contributing Morley Safer who is, I'll wager, at the top of every "hip" member of the 60 Minutes executive staff's list of "Just Be Nice To The Guy Till He Dies But Don't Pay Any Attention To His Story Ideas" list).....so Kroft's crystal clear attempts to bait Leno into biting on the hook of full blown controversy were for naught....and Leno, to his credit, repeatedly swam away from that hook, seductively dangling as it was, give or take a snarky nibble or two......
...as a child of the generation that grew up on Carson and was around, in young adulthood, to watch the torch go from John to Jay, I still find it interesting, and not just a little ironic, that Jay, underneath whatever "I'm really a good guy" badge he wears on any given day, is in tip top mental shape in his 60's, his ability to feel, laugh, cry, hurt, be hurt and/or having his feelings hurt in admirable working order, with the exception of one pretty obvious (to everyone who was around in 92 except Jay) faculty that seems to be failing him...his memory....and his memory of how his "ascension" to the late night throne occupied with grace and class and high bar setting style by Carson was pulled off in pretty much the same manner as Fallon's ascension is being handled now.....not so much a passing of the torch as a "here, old guy, give us that thing....here, young guy, you da man, baby" yanking of the thing....
...btw, in that category of interesting, it should be noted that Carson never sniped in public about his treatment at the hands of the, then, young turks at NBC, never appeared anything but gracious, classy and high bar setting stylishly as he had the aforementioned torch yanked away after giving NBC thirty years of late night dominance......and, most tellingly, once Carson was gone, he was gone...
...also to note, though, that all of these years later, in a culture whose young adults have about as much awareness of Johnny Carson as my generation had of Steve Allen (who? exactly.) Carson is still held up, by Leno here and everywhere else in comedy, as the platinum standard for late night hosting....
...sidebar...in the "reader's comments" section of the online article (always a guaranteed font of Rhodes Scholar level wisdom and insight), one contributor offered, in defense of another contributor who was clearly not a Lenolover, that "if Jay ain't funny, he wouldn't still be number one in the ratings"....(I love a good refutation, especially when it comes candy coated in the delicious flavor of bad 2nd grade grammar)...my take?....I think a large chunk of Leno's audience was inevitable, given that The Tonight Show is still basic network, not cable, and there are still a lot of people who only watch local TV....(I guess they ain't thinkin' Bill Maher or Bill O'Reilly ain't funny)....
...least, but very possibly not last depending on how much steam this story has, I'm feeling just a scoche more compassion for Jay, in the context of his being encouraged to render his garments in public by the one more low rent merit badge to earn before he moves to Fox News Steve Kroft...but only a scoche....primarily because he...
a) willingly sat down with Kroft knowing full well that it wasn't going to be a "greatest hits/get a plaque/fond farewell" interview...
b) is still sneaking in a few drops of whine with every bite of humble pie he wants us all to see him eating...
c) has, even if I concede his comedic talent, which I really don't, almost made the last twenty years pretty much a wash once his "contribution to late night television" is balanced against his "retiring/being pushed out/prime time aint workin/gimmie back my show/and...then...retiring/being pushed out/Fallon's a nice guy/being pushed out" low budget drama of the last few years.....
d) has managed to forget that what goes around, comes around, every dog has his day, the pusher eventually becomes the pushee and/or everything, EVERYTHING, has a shelf life.......
And, like I said the other day, Jay Leno has been blessed to have a shop to sell his stale bread long, long....long after the expiration date.
Good luck, J.....enjoy your next chapter.....
In your honor, I took the liberty of composing a little lyrical tribute to you......
To the tune of that fun little number from the Broadway show/movie "1776", "Sit Down, John"
Shut up, Jay
Shut up, Jay
For God's sake, Jay
Shut up...
Shut up, Jay
Shut up, Jay
For God's sake, Jay
Shut up!
(Someone ought to bring a crying towel!)
You’re no Johnny C
So have mercy, Jay, please
No one watches you in Philadelphia
(Someone ought to bring a crying towel!)
I say NBC!
Ain’t done right by me!
Can’t I stay till twenty thirty three?!
(Someone ought to bring a crying towel!)
I say Fallon’s fair to middlin'!
(Shut up, Jay!)
But can’t I stay till twenty thirty three?!
(Someone ought to bring a crying towel!)
No! No! No!
Once he said goodbye
Then he told Conan lies
Now no one watches him in Philadelphia
Are you going to bring a crying towel?
(Ain’t we had enough here?)
Let me stay!
(No, we’ve really had enough here!)
Let me stay!
(Oh for God's sake, Jay, shut up!)
(Good God! Consider yourselves fortunate that you have Jay Leno around to keep the all-important over 75 bracket tuned in!)
Jay, you're a bore
We've heard this before
Now, for God's sake, Jay
Shut up!
Can’t I please stay!
(No!)
Well, I won’t go away!
(You will!)
I won’t budge till twenty thirty three!
(Someone ought to bring a crying towel!)
Fallon’s not ready!
(Shut up, Jay!)
You need me till twenty thirty three!
(Will someone shut that man up?)
(Never! Never!)
(Just ask Conan!!!!)
And...heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere's........oh, if wishin' made it so.
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