Leno Canceled? Jay Jokes About Rumors In Monologue (VIDEO)

Are Jay and Conan BOTH being canceled? Those are the rumors today as word spread like wildfire that NBC's 10pm slot would no longer host 5 nights of Leno. Apparently, his show upset NBC affiliates who complained their 11pm news shows were suffering due to poor lead-in ratings.

NBC reportedly gave Leno the 10pm slot this season both to cut overhead on costly original programming and to ensure he wouldn't leave for a rival network. Jay played off those fears tonight saying:

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO KATIE COURIC, IT'S HER BIRTHDAY TODAY. SHE LEFT NBC FOR ANOTHER NETWORK. I HAVE TO GIVE HER CALL TO SEE HOW THAT IS WORKING OUT. AS YOU MAY HAVE HEARD, THERE IS A RUMOR FLOATING AROUND THAT WE WERE CANCELED. I HEARD IT COMING IN THIS MORNING ON THE RADIO. SO FAR NO ONE HAS SAID ANYTHING TO ME. BUT KEV, IF WE DID GET CANCELED IT WILL GIVE US TIME TO DO SOME TRAVELING. I UNDERSTAND THAT FOX IS BEAUTIFUL THIS TIME OF YEAR."

TMZ reported that Leno's show would go on hiatus following the Winter Olympics, and would not return. Instead he would reclaim his 11:30pm time slot given to Conan O'Brien after 17 years of doing "Late Night" at 12:30am on NBC. No one knows Conan's fate, but it doesn't look good for the newly appointed host.

"Hey Kev, what does NBC stand for? Never believe your contract," Leno quipped ominously.


WATCH:

Comments

[Ellen Peer]

07:37 PM on 01/09/2010

Who cares! I love Letterman and Craig Ferguson. Craig is the funniest comedian on TV right now!

[columbusbuck]

06:37 PM on 01/09/2010

Leno's an dick. Holding NBC hostage like "I hear Fox is beautiful this time of the year". If I'm Conan, I'm hoping Jay ends up in a gutter somewhere.

[Prevailing Wind]

11:05 AM on 01/09/2010

I don't care what they do, as long as L&O comes back to Wednesdays at 10.

[hotandcold]

07:59 PM on 01/08/2010

Have we already forgotten that it took 2-3 years before Leno made it to the top spot?? Conan wasn't even given a year. Who got all the commercials promoting their show? Leno. Who got the shaft?
Conan. Blame the network if you like but Leno was the one who said he wanted his old show back.

I'm not a fan of either of these men but the issue is ethics: Leno announced in many interviews 5-6 years ago that he wanted to retire to spend time with Mavis, his cars, bikes, etc. NBC looked around for a replacement. 5 long years later Conan takes over for Leno and Leno has millions (pun) of second thoughts about leaving. A little late, right?? So his new show stinks and he says he would take his old show back if nbc offered it to him (ha,ha) Wow! Not much of a friend to Conan to say stuff like that. Now Leno's getting his old show back and Conan's pushed aside. Carson hated Leno but I never knew why. But after this happened I'm gonna have to agree with Johnny. Mr. Leno, what you did was rotten. Shame on you.

[Lawyer822]

12:34 PM on 01/08/2010

Leno made the decision to leave. Then he changed his mind so NBC found him a place. It's not working so now he wants his job back and if they don't give it back to him he'll go to FOX. Well I say let him go to FOX....

[hype-free]

08:32 PM on 01/08/2010

And Lou Dobbs can be his Ed McMahon.

LOL

[VOTER]

08:06 AM on 01/09/2010

GREAT comment!

LOL

[applecreeker]

12:22 PM on 01/08/2010

TOP GEAR AND JAY LENO ARE MEANT FOR EACH OTHER, THE BRITISH AND AMERICAN COMBINATION WOULD BE AN INSTANT HIT.

[applecreeker]

12:17 PM on 01/08/2010

JAY LENO SHOULD JOIN THE TOP GEAR SHOW ON THE SPEED CHANNEL AND LEAVE NBC IN THE DUST. HE IS A CAR NUT AND IS MORE FUN WHEN HE IS IN JEANS WORKING ON AND TALKING ABOUT CARS. FORD, MERCEDES, AND VW COULD USE A LITTLE HUMOR RIGHT NOW!

[Boadicea]

02:57 PM on 01/08/2010

Agreed.

These late-night men-in-suits shows have become too predictable. This started with Jack Parr, for crying out loud. Let's move on.

[laksa]

12:16 PM on 01/08/2010

Some like Jay, others Brian. I suggest may be we can have both. 1,3,5 Jay or Brian, 2,4 Jay or Brian.

[DrJohnnySkeptic]

11:58 AM on 01/08/2010

Conan is funnier, wittier, and has a fresher take on comedy. Jay Leno is boring, not funny, and his act is old. He should stop stepping on Conan's toes and find another network - but I doubt anyone would take him.

NBC needs to stay with Conan O'Brien. It's one of the smartest moves they've made and going back on it will make them dive bomb further in ratings.

GE is smart to dump them, which they should've done long ago.

[Boadicea]

02:59 PM on 01/08/2010

The ratings don't agree with you.
Conan seldom makes me laugh. Of course, I don't think Leno is the funniest person on the planet either.

[DiAtlanta]

10:54 AM on 01/08/2010

Go Jay, Go, Jay!!!!!! Yes Me and everyone I know wants him back at 11:30 with his old format!!!!

[jabailo]

10:38 AM on 01/08/2010

Looks like Lib Mouthpiece, NBC is going down en masse.

[VOTER]

08:10 AM on 01/09/2010

"Lib Mouthpiece"

THAT IS FUNNY!
If you need an early morning jolt of Fixed GOP Yammering and
new Fox-like faces then
turn on MSNBC's, MORNING, JOE.

[cinemaven]

10:33 AM on 01/08/2010

Leno announced he was retiring... he should have
Conan was perfect in his time slot and his format suited him but the change in time and format took him away from the goofy good natured character he was and tried to Leno him with bad results.

I've always watched Letterman but now, I'm a loyal Craig Ferguson viewer as well... I used to flip between Craig and Conesy and now, I only see Conan if I have time when he's rerun in the afternoon. I never watch Leno, never will, in any slot.

[verticallychallenged]

08:02 AM on 01/09/2010

Between all the late-night hosts on broadcast tv, Craig Ferguson is my favorite. I loved his sense of humor ever since his movie "Saving Grace."

[Fred54]

08:41 AM on 01/08/2010

Maybe he could go back to Wilmington Ford.

[westreal]

08:11 AM on 01/08/2010

Leno is great. Love both Leno and Letterman. NBC was stupid to move a top rated show to primetime.

[Boadicea]

03:00 PM on 01/08/2010

Leno demanded it. Don't blame NBC for that.

[cainemain]

07:35 AM on 01/08/2010

Leno SHOULD be at Fox. Better access to old, ignorant, a$$es like himself.