Jay Leno Zings NBC: “I Hear Fox Is Beautiful This Time Of Year”

by Rachel Sklar | 10:33 pm, January 7th, 2010

» 6 comments

Whoa! Jay Leno is NOT toeing any party line here from NBC. He opened his show tonight with a hit back at his network after rumors leaked today that he was being canceled. Now the reports are that the lineup is being reshuffled, with Leno bumping up to 11:30 pm for half an hour, Conan at 12:05 am, and Jimmy Fallon at 1:05 am — which sucks for everyone concerned, because even though Leno will get back his old timeslot, it will only be because his 10 p.m. show didn’t make the cut. Everyone involved looks bad — and Leno made it very clear that he had nothing to do with it.

He kicked off by wishing happy birthday to Katie Couric, saying “Hey! She left NBC for another network, I gotta give her a call, see how that’s working out.” Zing! He explained that “there’s a rumor floating around we were canceled – I heard it coming in this morning on the radio.” Then he turned to sidekick Kevin Eubanks, and said, “So far, nobody’s said anything to me, but Kev, if we did get canceled, it would give us time to maybe do some traveling – I understand that Fox is beautiful this time of year.” Eek.

He then said that he wasn’t really that worried, because “In my experience, NBC only cancels you when you’re in first place.” Yikes. Leno is not pleased. Can’t wait to see Conan’s monologue…or Jimmy’s. Watch below:

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JSchrembs

Jay Leno is, and has been, a fair minded class act.
There should be a place for him unless the 99.9% Liberal/Communist/Socialist/Spineless Media Networks (i.e. NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN, etc.) are just too much to take.
FOX + Jay Leno would be a good fit and GOOD RIDDANCE to the (Obama/Pelosi/Reid./Murtha/Dodd/etc.) CORRUPT Puppeteers of the Main Street BIASED Media.
2010 will be Change that is coming to Congress first and the White House next…HURRAH!
tjl

Ugh. These talking points give me a headache. Tired act.
http://www.sailrabbits.com Magister

Jay – The experiment was a failure. It’s not necessarily your fault because it may not have been your idea and even if it was, the final decision wasn’t your responsibility.

The experiment has damaged NBC, its affiliates and it could possibly have harmed broadcast television all together, but it’s not your fault.

Don’t fight it and please don’t make it nastier than it needs to be. If you don’t want 11:35 or if you’re gentleman enough to let Conan keep it, great. You had a part in something bold and daring, which will go alongside your already historic mark as a Tonight Show host, but if you don’t want 11:35, then please let them buy out your contract and let the thing end in peace.
sarainitaly

I like Jay, but I don’t think the move was a good idea, and I wasn’t impressed with the little I have seen from the show. He should have just retired from the Tonight Show and let it be. He went out on top, but now is sinking to the bottom…
adammathewjones

Great Move. I am really happy with the move done by the Jay Leno.
life jackets
ChrisNH

In Boston, they may not be happy but they sure are smug. WHDH didn’t want Leno because they feared his ratings would be anemic (check) and it would doom their 11pm news (check). NBC played ‘God’ and read WHDH the riot act, and even threatened to yank their network affiliation. Now, the locals look brilliant (check) while the network looks stupid (check).