Jay Leno Weathers Strike, Comes Out On Top

The strike by the Writers Guild of America ended not a moment too soon for Jay Leno. After 100 days, the guests were wearing thin.

Larry the Cable Guy made his fourth appearance just this week on NBC's "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno." Animal ambassador Joan Embery -- the sixth animal act in as many weeks -- dropped by with another passel of critters.

"We thought we had seen every animal there was, but we dug around the backyard and found some more," Leno said during Wednesday's show as he welcomed Embery, whose menagerie included chinchillas and Siamese fighting fish.

In danger of falling behind his chief rival, "The Late Show With David Letterman," Leno in fact emerged from the strike unscathed -- even with one hand tied behind his back because, for much of the writers walkout, he was operating at a disadvantage.

Keep reading the LA Times story (registration required).

Previously:
Michael Learmonth: Obama's Appearance Should Give Letterman A Ratings Boost
Michael Learmonth: Letterman Attacks Leno With Writers, Howard Stern
Letterman Winning Over Bored Leno Loyalists During Strike

Comments

[PatA]

10:53 AM on 02/17/2008

Leno hasn't won anything, except some numbers.
Dave has guests that can talk, think and deliver. Leno brings "Larry the Cable Guy" on four times during the strike.
Leno is a redneck with a suit on. He isn't funny at all and he sure isn't smart.

[cjennie1]

05:57 PM on 02/15/2008

People keep saying "without writers"; these guys ARE writers and, for the most part, talented ones. But I think Dave is really getting out of touch with his audience. The old gag jokes may be funny to young people, and the repetitiveness may be amusing to the stoner age where the familiarity keeps them giggling. Leno seems to understand that, as he grew older, his audience grew younger. For those of us in our 40's and 50's who've followed these guys for years, it's depressing to me...and I do wish that Jon would go up against them in their time slots for awhile and see how that works out. They're both so out of touch. I'm sorry I'm not articulating this very well; I'm just so frustrated with the late night shows going so badly.

[ohiomark]

04:27 PM on 02/15/2008

It's pretty funny that Letterman HAD writers and still couldn't beat Leno.

[ParacleteofKavorka]

05:29 PM on 02/15/2008

Exactly. I really couldn't tell Leno didn't have writers except when he'd mention it in his monologue. I would flip over to Letterman occasionally to see what was happening and boy is his show lame, tedious and worse.

That #10 list would be better if they had the audience write it or do they?

[ClaudiaJean]

05:34 PM on 02/15/2008

Which is even funnier when you realize, Jay Leno's not funny. And people still choose to watch.

[SmootyBooty]

02:30 PM on 02/15/2008

Jay's philanthropy, and his willingness to entertain in the hinterlands, are the only things that redeem him. He ain't funny.

[bllstar]

03:31 PM on 02/15/2008

He is right wing, I have never watched him since he endorced Meathead from California. And anyone, that would have Gomer Huckaby on his show right before an election is horrible. Don't watch the creep.

[blackmouth]

03:39 PM on 02/15/2008

I thought Johnny Carson was funny and I think David Letterman is funny, but I don't think Leno is funny. Maybe funny looking, what with that caved in face.

[ThePhantom]

05:34 PM on 02/15/2008

I cannot understand why anyone thinks Leno is funny. He's corny and you can almost predict everything he will say.

He's the "most popular" in the way that USA Today is more popular than the Economist.

Nice guy. Not funny.

Lettermans' lost something off his fastball, but on any given night you can have some whip-fast give and take, or even fighting with a guest.

You've never once seen any of that on Leno.

[mcnary]

01:40 PM on 02/15/2008

I love it when Johnny bombs and goes into that dance shtick.

[stupidforum]

12:59 PM on 02/15/2008

Let's see...Letterman was among the first to break with the producers' cabal and sign a contract with his writers.

Jay Leno collects old cars and paychecks.

[Nutcase]

02:36 PM on 02/15/2008

Jay paid his staff out of his own pocket. Also, Dave has his own production company that signed with the WGA (does that make Dave a member of the cabal?). Jay works directly for NBC. He had to wait until NBC signed. By the way, even though more people watch Jay, Dave is much higher paid.

[Pquilson]

11:43 AM on 02/15/2008

I dont like either of them. They are both well paid professionals, I would think they could come up with a monologue without writers. But, apparently, no.

[rbspickles]

11:51 AM on 02/15/2008

My thoughts exactly! I mean, how hard is it to come up with, "so you're coming out with a new movie this weekend?" Sheeshe.

[Wilsonfisk89]

11:35 AM on 02/15/2008

Leno is a hack, plain and simple. Letterman is a brilliant, charming, witty, class act who carries the late night tradition singlehandedly.

[Kundera]

12:16 PM on 02/15/2008

yeah, the Hello Deli bits are so so hilarious. and picking up a phone every single night hearing static, whew, that's so funny. and that's WITH writers.

[SmootyBooty]

02:29 PM on 02/15/2008

Well you're watching...

[ladygreenslippers]

05:08 PM on 02/15/2008

hey! i love Jay.

And i just can't seem to fall for Letterman.

[kaypic]

12:32 PM on 02/15/2008

You're right on track. Leno thinks making other people the butt of his jokes is funny, I call it crass. I watched him at one time, but did you ever notice he talks more to Kevin than to his audience? Sickening!! Maybe someone should start making him and his wife the butts of their jokes and see how he likes it.

[jadez]

11:35 AM on 02/15/2008

what low class stuff passes for tv these days.

[Ohg]

11:27 AM on 02/15/2008

We are rethinking our casting - it looks like Larry the Cable Guy might be better suited to play Mike Huckabee in the new movie, "Election - 2008."....
http://thefiresidepost.com/2008/02/14/kevin-spacey-as-mike-huckabee/

[Nutcase]

02:41 PM on 02/15/2008

Mykelti Williamson can revisit his role of Bubba Blue. He wouldn't need to change a thing to play Obama.

[Rickter]

11:05 AM on 02/15/2008

I'm not surprised. If you watched Letterman, even with his writers - he did the same - lame joke every night for weeks. Picking up the phone, hearing some radio garble.. the same Romney joke over and over. He recited the same jokes every night. Even his audience wasn't laughing, and it was embarrasing to watch him. At least Leno had some fresh jokes without writers. If this is the quality of Letterman's show with writers, he need to fire them all.

[Nutcase]

02:44 PM on 02/15/2008

At least Dave and his band leader laugh at his jokes. I haven't seen him more than half a dozen times since he left NBC but he hasn't gotten any funnier.

[armadillious2002]

11:05 AM on 02/15/2008

Get er done!

[Kundera]

11:03 AM on 02/15/2008

AHA to all those Huffers who predicted Leno's demise.

[DeSwiss]

11:03 AM on 02/15/2008

"....for much of the writers walkout, he was operating at a disadvantage."

Was??? :-|

[ErnestineBass]

10:55 AM on 02/15/2008

Larry and Leno. Scab-O-Rama.