The Jay Leno Show: The Tonight Show Only Earlier

One term thrown around often in the months leading up to The Jay Leno Show premiere is “shake up.” There’s a “shake up” of format, a “shake up” of the landscape, a “shake up” of all of late night.

After the first viewing, the “shake up” is more like how you shake up a snow globe – when everything settles, all the parts are the same, just in a different place.

Yes, last night’s premiere proved one thing – NBC, despite promising it didn’t want to just do The Tonight Show at 10pm, has a very similar show. Time Magazine‘s James Poniewozik called the premiere “Tonight-like,” and a TV analyst told the New York Times, “The opening seems no different from the regular Tonight Show.”

Does it mean Jay Leno can’t do a vastly different program, or is NBC comfortable with a simple reshuffling?

The show kicked off with a similar, but shorter, monologue. “This is not another annoying promo, this is the actual show,” said Leno. “I apologize for my face being all over the place.”

Then there was a taped segment, an interview, another taped segment, another interview, a musical act and “Headlines” closed out the show. It was a Tonight Show episode put through a Tarantino-like editing process. The most anticipated part of the show was something that Leno fell into – an interview with Kanye West. Leno said West had asked to say a few words about his outburst the night before. What followed was an awkward, not endearing exchange (like the famous Hugh Grant interview). Part of the reason was something Poniewozik pointed out – it was almost like Leno hit West with a question that was too good for just a three minute interview:

Leno: Let me ask you something. I was fortunate enough to meet your mom and talk with your mom a number of years ago. What do you think she would have said about this?

West: [Long pause]

Leno: Would she be disappointed in this? Would she give you a lecture?

WEST: Yeah. You know, obviously, you know, I deal with hurt. And, you know, so many celebrities, they never take the time off. I’ve never taken the time off to really…You know, just music after music and tour after tour. I’m just ashamed that my hurt caused someone else’s hurt.

It’s far more awkward in the video (clip below).

The fact is, the premiere last night wasn’t bad by any margin. It was funny at times (specifically, the Jerry Seinfeld interview) and will problem do fairly well in the ratings. But it didn’t “shake up” anything significant. Maybe NBC trusts the previous Leno format that much.

Here’s the clip of the one real watercooler moment last night – the uncomfortable Kanye West interview:

—–
» Follow Steve Krakauer on Twitter

Follow us on Twitter.

Sign up for Mediaite's daily newsletter.