"Late Show" Beats "Tonight Show" By Widest Margin In Years

New York Times:

With President Obama as his power-hitting leadoff man, David Letterman posted his biggest score in recent years in the late-night ratings, dominating NBC's "Tonight Show" last week by the biggest margin in more than 15 years.

Read the whole story: New York Times

Comments

[ilikemusic]

Ive always loved Conan but he just hasnt been the same since he started the Tonight Show.

Its like hes on a shorter leash and he cant do what hes good at.

[talkingdog]

Wow Dave! Doink a few more staffers,.....doink Paul Schaffer! That'll really send your ratings through the roof!!!

[Giada]

Audience increases watching for the next Letterman tabloid confession.

[DestinationsUnknown]

Letterman is a LATE NIGHT COMEDIAN

Letterman does not claim to be a NEWS outlet!

So- all you murdoch followers- learn the difference!

[InfosolutionWiz]

TELL FIXED NEWS TO STUFF THIS:

With President Obama as his power-hitting leadoff man, David Letterman posted his biggest score in recent years in the late-night ratings, dominating NBC’s “Tonight Show” last week by the biggest margin in more than 15 years.

Mr. Letterman’s “Late Show” on CBS, whose guest lineup also included former President Bill Clinton, averaged 5.04 million viewers for the first new week of the television season, up almost 30 percent from the same week a year before.

[JayEsbe]

Conan just leaves me cold. He's just so freaking weird/homely, and his frequent self-deprecation about it ends up just being more disturbing than funny for some reason. Leno is just too dumbed down and corn-pone, but at least he maintained a tradition at 11:30. NBC and Leno were really dumb to think abandoning that was going to work, so I'm anything but surprised, I expected it to happen. I don't think Conan will last more than two more years.

[CaliTLC]

Uh oh. Dave Letterman is very funny.

[Corral]

Dave is better in many ways. But, the Tonight Show also made a huge mistake with the turnover from Leno. They should have maintained many aspects of the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in the transition. Just keeping the music the same would have helped the audience feel more comfortable. Even though Conan is very funny, Jay Leno was liked very much in that time slot. Conan shouldn't have brought his music and the rest from his other show (nice to have Andy Richter, though). It just doesn't feel like the traditional Tonight Show. It isn't too late to fix that.

[samuelberg]

Conan isn't all Dave's pounding...wow!

[Dwmarcus01]

Conan sucks! Dave is the man!

[skyslimit]

here here. conan sold out. dave kept it real.

[oldcliche]

Honestly I was dicussing this point with my wife. I believe the Tonight Show tends to be a watered down version of Late Night. I keep going back expecting some big punches, and I get nothing. You can even hear it in the monlogue. The audience has a few chuckles, and maybe a pity laugh.

I'm really disappointed in the way the show is shaping up. I was looking forward to having Conan on earlier, but I don't think he's living up to his talent.

[RButler]

I can't watch Letterman's tedious monologue with those lame, predictable jokes. However, I wish Conan had a better studio for his show. Leno had more intimacy when he came out and shook hands with the front row but Conan seems like he's in a gigantic building and even the sound reflects that. It's weird.

[booboo111]

Conan, and David Gregory...................HUGE MISTAKES!

[mockley]

You can add Leno at 10 pm to the huge mistakes. I caught the final 10 minutes last night. It was sad, so F*KKIN' sad.

[bigironal25]

Wow, a double header ! 2 HUGE mistakes and a terrible waste of space!

[Progressiveama]

those are my EXACT thoughts---smaller stage!!!!!!!.......I hope that Conan hangs in there, I loved him in his later slot, I liked his relationship with Boston, and I watch David just because he has been leaning left. Conan is really funny, they just need to tame down the stage, maybe change locations, maybe go to a less flashy place like...hmmmmmm.......Idaho......hehe.....I don't want him to go to a later slot, they just have to tweak this one.....I just don't like the Hollywood factor.......

[MrVee]

I never thought much of Conan and who is really surprised that Dave could beat the pants off him?

[alnc]

Letterman has improved considerbly and its not Conan's fault but that is the way it is. Its Dave's time until he hands off to Jon Stewart.

As for Fallon, he is not funny and has never been. Why he has a show is beyond me....just like Dane Cook and Ellen Degeneres they are not funny.

[skyslimit]

ellen was funny until she turned non- g ay

[graffitijoe]

Dave is powerful! He has made Sarah Palin the best seller before her book is even released - the pre-orders are already #1 at barnes and noble and #1 at amazon.

[ChiGuy]

That had little to do with him.

Those pre-ordering the book are the same people who tune in to hear what to think and say from the con talking heads.
In other words, not very bright people.

[austin4]

Yeah,,and nobody wants to read her book.. WOW!!!!!

[Zen0469]

You are delusional if you believe it is being read.

[bluejoni2525]

Can you say BULK SALES !!

[cakejab]

Now that would explain a lot.

[JhNyc]

Hopefully Sarah buys one. Would be nice if she found out what she "wrote" before the interviews begin.

[Imzadi]

You owe me a cup of coffee that I just spit all over laughing so hard!!!

[skyslimit]

but will they read it, or just look at the illustrations?

[ohiomark]

Letterman admits to sex with staffers.

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/david-letterman-admits-sexual-affairs-staffers-details-extortion/story?id=8728424

[ohiomark]

This guy has the nerve to pass judgement on Sarah Palin.

What a dirt bag.

[ChiGuy]

Do you know the circumstances surrounding his affair(s)?
Nope.

And Palin is a trainwreck from all angles. She gets what she deserves.

[austin4]

Jealous?

[sharksfansd]

Throwing stones are we? And how is this different than Bill O'Reilly? And how about those hypocritical Republicans hanging out at "C" Street.

[JhNyc]

Everyone passed on SP.

[DestinationsUnknown]

Letterman is a comedian!