Leno''s last Tonight Show

[TravelingGal]

Will you watch? Do you care?

I know Leno is too bland for a lot of people. I love him though. I''ve been a fan since he first took over the Tonight show...I went to a Tonight show taping in 1991 and he was guest host and was so easy going with the audience before the show aired. I''m one of probably only a few dozen (as he jokes) people who read his book in the mid 90s. My brother was doing duty (he is a police officer) where Leno was doing a show and had to walk him out. Knowing I was a fan, actually asked for an autograph (which is SO not my bro''s style). He told me Leno was beyond nice and was happy to give him one.

So I''ll watch tonight and watch the new show when it goes on air at 10pm. Much better time for me now that I am a mom!

 

[decodelighted]

I read an article today that noted the distinct lack of sadness around his departure. Not a lot of media play ... like there was for Conan's last day, much less Carson's! Their guess was that as likeable as Leno is he doesn't instill the kind of *passion* in people that other personalities do. With greatness there's a love/hate component ... and Leno is just middle-of-the-road.

Agree to some extent -- but I also think there's the "he's gonna be on again soon anyway" thing. People would feel sad for him if he was off to do specials or sit around & do nothing. But wheedling his way back onto primetime so soon? Doesn't feel so tragic.

Some of us still feel like he ripped Letterman off too. "Stole" his rightful job as host of the Tonight Show -- after Letterman had been such a supporter during rough patches in Leno's career.

Leno feels like a footnote or an asterisk in the history & grand tradition of The Tonight Show. I'm glad Conan gets it now.


ETA: The one trait about Leno I've always admired is the way he talks about & seemingly treats his wife. Laudable.


EETA: Here's the post I was talking about.

 

[TravelingGal]

Yeah, I agree that there isn''t that sentiment. Plus he''s taking the crew and a lot of his schtick over to the new gig.

I''ve never been a Letterman fan, so I guess I don''t have the grudge. Leno is distinctly west coast (where I''m from) and Letterman is east coast.

He''s just a hardworking guy appealing to the average person and that appeals to me. Oh, and how much he seems to respect his wife. He mentioned her a lot in his book.

 

[Lauren8211]

I''ve always been a Leno fan.

I''m in the Midwest... if that makes a difference.

I plan to catch it tonight if I remember, and if I''m awake!

 

[Bia]

Love Conan. Leno? He's likable. I don't wait for him to come on, but if he's on, and I'm there, I'll watch The Tonight Show.

Like I said, I love Conan.

*east coast here.

 

[decodelighted]

FWIW ... Letterman was Carson''s choice for The Tonight Show ... he wrote jokes for Letterman right up until his death. Faxed them in almost every day. Letterman never told until afterward. Carson didn''t want credit.

I''ll agree that for the most part Leno seems like a nice guy. Not a terribly *funny* guy (to my sensibilities) ... but a nice guy.

 

[E B]

Who are his special guests? Because we wouldn''t be watching for Leno. I just don''t find him funny (though likable, absolutely), and my husband is in the group Deco mentioned earlier who feels Leno ripped Letterman off.

I''m glad to see Conan taking over; I find him much more talented overall.

 

[rainwood]

I''m a west coaster who thinks Leno is an odd combination of smarmy and lame. Can''t watch him at all. Letterman all the way for me too, and I still hold a grudge as well on the whole Tonight Show debacle. I rarely get a chance to watch him, but I really like Craig Ferguson. And I like Conan. I like everybody except Leno now that I think about it.

 

[february2003bride]

I love Conan and Leno both! I assumed the lack of fan fare with Leno was that he was moving up to 10pm, so it''s not like he''s really leaving. I''m psyched that he''s moving to 10pm and Conan to 11:35pm. Right now my night time tv routine is Chelsea Lately at 11pm, then Leno, and then Conan. The fact that Leno is jumping before Chelsea and that Conan is right after, makes my night much easier, lol.

DH is part of the camp that feels like Leno screwed Letterman. I surprised DH with a trip to NY for a Letterman taping right before we were married and we had a blast! But I prefer Leno still. A friend of mine who''s brother is mentally disabled, and a group he belongs too were invited to a free Leno show last year. She told me that the group was allowed backstage and Leno took the time to talk to every single disabled person and their caretakers in the group. He took photographs and signed pictures. She said she kept tearing up that this celebrity treated the disabled people with such normalcy and respect, when even just everyday people don''t. She said her brother couldn''t stop grinning and talking about the meeting for DAYS afterward!

 

[Elmorton]

I''m a Letterman gal, but I have nothing against Leno. I''ll probably watch tonight.

 

[Catmom]

Love Leno, hate Conan. What am I going to watch at 10:30?

 

[blueroses]

I watched the last Carson with my parents 17 years ago at 17. Now 1/2 my life later, I''m going to watch the last Leno with my future husband....it''s nowhere CLOSE to the kind of tearful seminal moment that Carson retiring was.....but it''s still a milestone.

Plus, I''ve had a mad crush on Conan since 1993. So there''s that.

(I also had a big crush on Letterman. What can I say, funny does it for me.)

 

[joflier]

I love Leno!!!!! I''m so sad! I''ll for sure be watching. I enjoy his humor so much.