The Tonight Show with Jay Leno
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| The Tonight Show with Jay Leno |
|
|---|---|
 The Tonight Show intertitle. |
|
| Format | Talk show Variety show |
| Starring | Jay Leno Tonight Show Band Announcer: Edd Hall (1992-2004) John Melendez (2004-) Bandleader: Branford Marsalis (1992-1995) Kevin Eubanks (1995-) |
| Country of origin | United States |
| No. of episodes | 3,566 (as of June 3, 2008) |
| Production | |
| Location(s) | NBC Studios Burbank, California |
| Running time | 01:02:30 |
| Broadcast | |
| Original channel | NBC |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV), 1080i (HDTV) |
| Original run | May 25, 1992 – present |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson (1962–1992) |
| Followed by | The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien (scheduled to start in ; 2009) |
| External links | |
| Official website | |
| IMDb profile | |
| TV.com summary | |
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno is an Emmy Award-winning American late-night talk show hosted by Jay Leno on NBC. It made its debut on May 25, 1992, following Johnny Carson's resignation as host of The Tonight Show. The nightly broadcast originates from NBC's studios in Burbank, California.
On April 26, 1999, the show began broadcasting in 1080i HDTV, becoming the first American nightly talk show to be shot in high definition. The show is shot in 16:9 aspect ratio with a 4:3 center-cut for standard definition television sets.
Leno's incarnation of The Tonight Show has followed the same basic format as that of his predecessors: an opening monologue followed by comedy routines, interviews and performances. Unlike Jack Paar or Johnny Carson, however, Leno has, as of 2007, rarely utlilized guest hosts, preferring to host the series by himself. There has only been one occasion in which a substitute host has appeared, on May 12, 2003, when Leno traded places with Katie Couric and hosted the The Today Show as part of a publicity stunt.[1]
On September 27, 2004, the 50th anniversary of The Tonight Show's debut, NBC announced that Jay Leno will be succeeded by Conan O'Brien in 2009. Leno explained that he did not want to see a repeat of the hard feelings and controversy that occurred when he was given the show over David Letterman following Carson's retirement.[2][3] Leno is reportedly second-guessing his decision to retire in 2009,[4] however, NBC Universal CEO Jeff Zucker has confirmed that O'Brien will take over as planned, and Leno is in talks to remain with the company.[5] Meanwhile, Tribune Company Chairman/CEO Sam Zell and CEO Randy Michaels have stated to the media during a nationwide tour of Tribune properties that they would like to lure Leno into the Tribune fold as the host of a new late night program after the end of Leno's run as host of The Tonight Show, by launching it on Tribune stations and using superstation WGN America as a linchpin for the show [6].
Production of new episodes was suspended due to the 2007 Writers Guild of America strike. Leno, himself a member of the Guild, decided to honor the picket lines, resulting in the show going into repeats, effective November 5. Shortly after the strike started, it was rumored that guest hosts would fill in for Leno during the duration of the strike, beginning November 19, 2007.[7] However, both guest hosts allegedly refused to cross the picket lines while a third rumored host in NBC Universal President Jeff Zucker, was just looking for some headlines. The show aired reruns from different periods of Leno's tenure as host until January 2, 2008, when after two months the show returned with Leno writing for himself without any replacement writers.[8]
Contents |
[edit] Format
The show follows an established six-piece format. The first segment is a monologue by Leno, with quick one-liners about current events and brief comedy sketches occasionally mixed in. Unlike fellow late-night comics David Letterman or Conan O'Brien, Leno -- with his background in stand-up comedy -- emphasizes the monologue perhaps more than any other segment in the show, usually telling jokes for the first six or ten minutes of the broadcast. The second segment is a full comedy sketch, often a humorous mini-documentary by a "Tonight Show correspondent" (e.g., Ross the Intern or Tom Green), or a trademark of Leno's, like Headlines.
As the nightly broadcast approaches midnight, the first guest appears. The interview is divided into two segments, then followed by the fifth segment, which consists of another interview. The sixth and final segment is almost always a musical performance. However, on some occasions, a stand-up comedian will perform in the last segment, a staple of The Tonight Show.
Immediately following the performance segment, Leno walks on camera to thank the performers and bid farewell to the audience. As the closing credits roll on-screen, the gentle strains of the Tonight Show's closing theme music, "Kevin's Country" — composed in 1992 by bandleader Kevin Eubanks[9] — play the show off the air.
[edit] Recurring segments
- Headlines (Monday): Humorous print items sent in by viewers. These real-life headlines are usually headlines with typographical errors or overlooked, inappropriate items.
- Jaywalking: A pre-taped segment where Leno asks people questions about current news and other topics in public areas around Los Angeles (usually Hollywood Boulevard or Universal Studios). Most responses are outrageously incorrect.
- Howard Stern has said the segment was lifted directly from his radio show. [10]
- Battle of the Jaywalk All-Stars: Some of the stupidest Jaywalkers are brought back onto the show to be asked simple question to see which one is smarter.
- The segment's name is a play on the host's name and the illegal practice of jaywalking.
- Some of the interviewees prove so popular with viewers that they become regulars on The Tonight Show itself. Such examples are Jaywalk All-Stars Kip and Kim, who have a recurring segment on the show entitled What would Kip and Kim Do?, where people in situations ask them for advice. Their responses are often ridiculous and done to make the audience laugh. Another frequent Jaywalking guest, Angela Ramos, quickly became popular (due to her nasally high-pitched laugh) and joined the show for a time as a correspondent.
- The Audience Wants to Know: Selected audience members are chosen to ask Leno questions, and in response, Leno shows a video clip relating to the subject.
- Celebrity Interviews: Leno will conduct an interview with a celebrity or recent major news name. The person in question is an obvious parody designed to utilize humorous responses. This often occurs "via satellite," but the character's portions are done on the musical performance part of the stage. Fred Willard and Gilbert Gottfried are the most common actors used for the segment, as well as Steve Bridges impersonating George W. Bush.
- Comedic Products: Depending on the season, Leno will bring out comedic spins on gifts, media releases and "inventions that didn't work out." (for example: A Day After Tomorrow home game for the summer months). It also came out in a different iteration, as being supposedly sold through the NBCCC (Nothing But Cheap Crap Channel), with Leno playing the channel's resident host, Bob Johnson.
- Ask the Fruitcake Lady: Marie Rudisill, an outspoken older woman and aunt of Truman Capote, responded to questions about relationships, sex and family. She was originally on the show to promote her cookbook about fruitcake. This segment was discontinued after Rudisill's death.
- Videos We Found on YouTube: A prototypical Leno segment where he shows amusing videos supposedly found on YouTube. However, the videos are not viewed on YouTube but video files instead.
- Howie Mandel: Using a hidden camera, Howie would play practical jokes on average citizens. This bit became much less common after the beginning of Howie's program Deal or No Deal.
- Ross the Intern: Ross Mathews, a highly effeminate intern for the show, is sent to participate in special events. As part of a running gag, Leno started introducing Ross as his illegitimate son.
- Pitch To America: Whenever a screenwriters convention is held in the U.S., a Tonight Show camera crew sets up an area where screenwriters can walk up and make a pitch for a movie script or television show that he/she has been working on. People sometimes pitch a product.
- Stuff We Found on eBay: Leno brings up some of the oddest stuff that he has supposedly found while searching on eBay, and the studio audience must determine whether the object was sold or not.
- Pumpcast News: A fake news anchor, played by Timothy Stack, displayed on a TV screen at a gas station harasses and bothers the customers pumping gas.
- Pumpernickel Bread Special: A segment where Leno invites celebrity chefs, such as Martha Stewart, to share hilarious recipes.
- Duller Image Catalog: Leno will present outrageous and crude products created by the staff. A play on The Sharper Image Catalog.
- The Fine Print: At his desk Leno presents regular everyday products but when zoomed in to reveal the fine print there is a message telling what the product's real intentions are (example: a bag of chips that warns if you eat the product you will get fat).
- Photo Booth: A real free photo booth is set up at Universal Studios Hollywood and people inside are bothered and made fun of before getting their picture taken. The booth's voice is provided by comedian Kira Soltanovich.
- 99 Cent Shopping Spree: Leno shows off items collected from a local 99 cent store. These products are real and are shown if they have any assembly mistakes (hair combs in a bag labeled sun glasses), poorly translated words on directions or packaging, or if they are just tacky items.
- Celebrity Jeopardy: A jeopardy game that includes people in costumes portraying famous people in the news. George W. Bush, and Martha Stewart, are commonly portrayed. Gilbert Gottfried, who is always included on the panel, portrays other uncommon characters such as the Easter Bunny or Pontius Pilate, and is characterized by his frequent use of the phrase, "Son of a bitch!" at some point during the segment.
- Truth in Labeling: Leno displays products whose names have been changed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are now renamed for their most common uses. For example a United States one hundred-dollar bill called "gas money."
- Dealing with the Public: Leno plays real police or 911 audio/video recordings that are ridiculous, stupid or funny.
- Sidewalking: A camera and microphone are set up in a public location (e.g., on the street, on a college campus), individuals step up to the microphone and perform whatever they desire.
- Teenage Wasteland: Teenagers perform a stunt or talent they possess.
- Does this impress Ed Asner?: Individuals perform stunts or show off a talent in front of Ed Asner. Asner comments on whether or not the act impresses him. Similar to the former Late Show with David Letterman stunt, "Is This Anything?".
- Midnight Confessions: Members of the audience tell a story about something in their life about which they are embarrassed. Often, at the end of the confession, a product appropriate for the situation is presented to the person (often by Gilbert Gottfried)
- Wheel of Consolation: In the final weeks of American Idol the person voted off comes on The Tonight Show and is given a chance to spin the wheel of consolation, which contains three elaborate sounding prizes. The wheel is rigged to stop on a certain item, when the contestant receives a play off of the item won. For example, if the wheel stops on 'Breakfast with Royalty,' the Burger King mascot presents the contestant with a breakfast sandwich.
- They Walk Among Us: Leno presents images of celebrities and their supposed look-alikes, who were discreetly taped in Burbank. He says they were products of cloning experiments gone wrong.
- Steve Irwin bringing in Snakes and Crocodiles.
[edit] Notable episodes
- In September 2000, with California in an energy crisis that forced power outages, Jay Leno did an episode in the dark using only candles and flashlights known as "The Tonight Show Unplugged" in response to California's power crisis.
- Following the attacks of September 11, 2001, The Tonight Show was off the air for about a week, as were most similar programs. The first post-9/11 episode began with a still image of an American flag and a subdued opening without the usual opening credits. Leno's monologue paid tribute to those who lost their lives and to firefighters, police and rescue workers across the US. Leno had questioned whether a show that regularly poked fun at the government could continue after the attacks, but in his monologue he explained that he saw the show as a respite from the grim news of the world, akin to a cookie or glass of lemonade handed to a firefighter.
- On July 20, 2006, as Colin Farrell was being interviewed by Leno, Farrell's stalker, Dessarae Bradford, evaded security, walked on stage as cameras were rolling, confronted Farrell, and threw her book on Leno's desk. In front of a silent, stunned audience, Farrell escorted her off the stage himself, told the camera crew to stop filming, and handed her over to security. As Bradford was led out of the studio, she shouted "I'll see you in court!" Farrell's response was a smooth, "Darling, you're insane!" Outside the studio, NBC security handed her off to Burbank police, who eventually released her. While waiting to begin filming again, a shocked Leno sarcastically called for "a round of applause for NBC security" from the audience. After Farrell apologized to the audience, describing Bradford as "my first stalker", the show then continued filming and the incident was edited out of the broadcast aired that night. Farrell later requested a restraining order in court against Bradford.[11]
- On January 2, 2008, The Tonight Show (along with Jimmy Kimmel Live! and Late Night with Conan O'Brien) returned to air without writers, with the WGA still on strike. This was in response to the deal by David Letterman's production company Worldwide Pants with the WGA to allow Late Show with David Letterman and Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson to return with writers.
- On June 5, 2008, Academy Award-winning actor Dustin Hoffman was booed by the audience after making a joke about John McCain "owning" Sidney Poitier, a reference to slavery and the aging McCain.
[edit] Ratings
On September 22, 2006, Variety reported that The Tonight Show led in ratings for the 11th consecutive season, with a nightly average of 5.7 million viewers – 31% of the total audience in that time slot – compared to 4.2 million viewers for The Late Show with David Letterman, 3.4 million for Nightline and 1.6 million for Jimmy Kimmel Live. When the Leno show initially directly faced Letterman's show, Letterman initially led in ratings, however the turning episode is generally marked when Hugh Grant appeared on Leno (July 10, 1995). Leno famously asked Grant "What the hell were you thinking?" referring to Grant's arrest for seeing a prostitute.
[edit] Tonight Show in other countries
[edit] CNBC Europe
The Tonight Show can be seen in Europe on CNBC Europe as a 30 minute condensed version, Mondays to Fridays at 12 Midnight CET (11PM GMT). The show's full version, 45 minutes in length, is seen weekends at 9PM CET (8PM GMT).
The weekday edition features the monologue, interviews with guests and the musical guest. Comedy segments are not shown on weekdays. Monday's show, which is transmitted on Thursdays on CNBC Europe usually has a shortened monologue which is then followed by the comedy segment "Headlines" shown in a condensed version. However recently CNBC Europe have dropped this on occasions when there are big star guests or the monolgue proves to be funnier.
CNBC Europe used to show the full version of the Tonight Show everyday, but changed to a condensed weekday version on March 26, 2007, to make room for additional business programming. Late Night with Conan O'Brien was also shown on weekdays, but was relegated to weekends only when the business programming expanded.
[edit] Other channels
The Tonight Show was broadcast in Italy (with Italian subtitles) until 2005 when RaiSat Extra cancelled the program.[12]
The Tonight Show is also seen in India on Zee Cafe Monday to Friday at 11 PM.
The Philippine cable TV channel Jack TV also airs the show Tuesday to Saturday at 11PM. Reruns air from Wednesday to Sunday.
In the Middle East and North Africa, The Tonight Show can be seen Saturday to Monday at 9PM KSA on the Orbit Satellite Television and Radio Network's channel Super Comedy.
In Australia, The Tonight Show airs weeknights at 11PM on The Comedy Channel.
In Romania, The Tonight Show can be seen on weeknights, starting 12:25AM on news channel Antena 3.
The Tonight Show is seen in Sweden on Kanal 5 Monday to Friday, but always a week after the original airing, to allow time for subtitling.
In Canada, The Tonight Show is seen at 11:30 PM on A-Channel.
In Iceland, The Tonight Show is seen at 11PM on Skjáreinn Monday to Thursday.
[edit] Radio
The Tonight Show also presents a daily digest version of the show, called Last Night on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, broadcast on radio stations nationwide. Originally distributed by Premiere Radio Networks, the radio program moved to Westwood One in 2007.
[edit] References
- ^ Borowitz, Andy (2003-05-13). Interview With Andy Borowitz. CNN. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ Leno promises smooth transition to O'Brien. MSNBC (2004-09-28). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ O'Brien to replace Leno on 'The Tonight Show'. CNN (2004-09-27).
- ^ Should He Stay or Should He Go?. AOL (2007-10-15). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ NBC exec says Leno out as planned in '09. USA Today (2007-10-29). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/columnists/chi-wed-rosenthal-4jun04,0,7130008.column
- ^ Finke, Nikki (2007-11-09). Tonight Show Returns With Guest Hosts After Leno's Nonwriting Staff Laid Off. Deadline Hollywood Daily. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ "January 2, 2008". The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. 2008-01-02.
- ^ LIGHTS, CAMERA, REACTION! KEVIN EUBANKS. BNET (July 2007). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ Howard Stern Shock Jock in Winter. Slate (2004-03-02).
- ^ Farrell Files for Restraining Order. TMZ (2006-07-21). Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
- ^ Niente più Jay Leno su RaiSat Extra…. Antonio Genna. Retrieved on 2008-05-12.
[edit] External links
|
||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
