David Letterman Gets Personal, Hits Jay Leno Where It Hurts

Steve KrakauerJan 20th, 2010, 9:07 am

While the NBC infighting continues, the jokes are still coming in from around the late night spectrum – and specifically from the most vocal late night host so far, David Letterman.

Letterman previewed a promo of the “new” old Tonight Show, and knocked Jay Leno‘s “State of the Network” speech from Monday.

“They’re already promoting the new Tonight Show with Jay Leno again,” said Letterman during his monologue. As you can imagine, the fake promo took some direct shots at Leno, echoing what other comedians have come out and said publicly during the past couple weeks.

“All your favorite elements of Jay’s Tonight Show will be back,” said an announcer. “The phony handshakes, the guy with the guitar who laughs at everything, the bit he stole from Letterman’s late night show, the bit he stole from Howard Stern, the announcer he stole from Howard Stern.”

“Phony” and “stole” are two words that are some of the worst to be associated with a comedian, but it’s a storyline we’ve seen. Rosie O’Donnell made many of these points, and Howard Stern replayed them, on her satellite radio show. It is a devastating takedown. And even if, after this week, the story dies down until after the Olympics when Leno slides back to 11:30, don’t think Letterman will let this go very easily.

The Late Show host continued his NBC focus the next segment, and described why Leno’s Tuesday night explanation was “Vintage Jay.”

“He said we should not blame Conan for what’s going on,” said Letterman. “And I said to myself, ‘No one is blaming Conan.'”

Later: “You get fired, get another gig! Don’t hang around waiting for somebody to drop dead.”

Ouch.

Here’s the fake promo, and below, the explanation of “Vintage Jay”: