Leno makes meal of NBC bosses in monologue
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Jay Leno is keeping up a comedy assault on his NBC bosses even after being treated to a make-nice dinner.
During his monologue Friday, the "Tonight Show" host asked his Burbank studio audience if they'd heard about his "alleged feud" with NBC.
Leno started taking on-air potshots at the network this month amid reports that the network plans to replace him at "Tonight" with Jimmy Fallon.
According to a NBC transcript from Friday's taping, Leno said that he had dinner Thursday with a "bunch of NBC executives" who offered to make things up to him: He and his wife are going on an all-expenses paid Carnival Cruise, he joked.
In February, passengers endured five nightmarish days on a crippled Carnival Cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
In another wisecrack, Leno cited news reports of a Canadian man who had a knife pulled from his back after three years. Sniped Leno: "He must have worked at NBC, too."
NBC confirmed this week it's creating a new studio for Fallon in New York, where he hosts "Late Night." But the network did not comment on a report that the digs at its Rockefeller Plaza headquarters may become home to a transplanted, Fallon-hosted "Tonight."
This isn't the first time the "Tonight" stage has been used for a workplace dispute. In 2010, when Conan O'Brien briefly took over as "Tonight" host and Leno was moved to prime-time at NBC, the two traded on-air barbs.
Although late-night hosts are known for needling their network bosses, the timing of Leno's latest jabs seemed to make NBC's executives particularly uncomfortable and they asked him to stop. They don't want a repeat of the publicly messy turnover of just three years ago.
The 62-year-old Leno's current contract expires next year. For NBC, the 38-year-old Fallon represents a bid to launch a next-generation host for "Tonight" - although Leno has kept the show No. 1 in the ratings despite a challenge from Jimmy Kimmel's ABC show, which was moved back an hour to compete with it.
"You know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right? St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland - and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives," Leno joked on Monday's show.
On Tuesday, he played off a news report about a Serbian woman with a rare brain condition that causes her to see the world upside down: "Isn't that crazy? It's unbelievable. She sees everything upside down. In fact, she thinks NBC is at the top of the ratings."
During his monologue Friday, the "Tonight Show" host asked his Burbank studio audience if they'd heard about his "alleged feud" with NBC.
Leno started taking on-air potshots at the network this month amid reports that the network plans to replace him at "Tonight" with Jimmy Fallon.
According to a NBC transcript from Friday's taping, Leno said that he had dinner Thursday with a "bunch of NBC executives" who offered to make things up to him: He and his wife are going on an all-expenses paid Carnival Cruise, he joked.
In February, passengers endured five nightmarish days on a crippled Carnival Cruise ship in the Gulf of Mexico.
In another wisecrack, Leno cited news reports of a Canadian man who had a knife pulled from his back after three years. Sniped Leno: "He must have worked at NBC, too."
NBC confirmed this week it's creating a new studio for Fallon in New York, where he hosts "Late Night." But the network did not comment on a report that the digs at its Rockefeller Plaza headquarters may become home to a transplanted, Fallon-hosted "Tonight."
This isn't the first time the "Tonight" stage has been used for a workplace dispute. In 2010, when Conan O'Brien briefly took over as "Tonight" host and Leno was moved to prime-time at NBC, the two traded on-air barbs.
Although late-night hosts are known for needling their network bosses, the timing of Leno's latest jabs seemed to make NBC's executives particularly uncomfortable and they asked him to stop. They don't want a repeat of the publicly messy turnover of just three years ago.
The 62-year-old Leno's current contract expires next year. For NBC, the 38-year-old Fallon represents a bid to launch a next-generation host for "Tonight" - although Leno has kept the show No. 1 in the ratings despite a challenge from Jimmy Kimmel's ABC show, which was moved back an hour to compete with it.
"You know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right? St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland - and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives," Leno joked on Monday's show.
On Tuesday, he played off a news report about a Serbian woman with a rare brain condition that causes her to see the world upside down: "Isn't that crazy? It's unbelievable. She sees everything upside down. In fact, she thinks NBC is at the top of the ratings."
Fallon is alright but He's no Jay Leno, Leno RULES!!! (another stupid idea by NBC).
Something about biting the hand that feeds you is running through my mind. ...
Ever since Johnny Carson retired... Â Leno has been the best.
If you are on your way out you can go out begging to keep your spot, or go out kicking a$$.You are done Jay, so go ahead and draw as much blood as you can.Donât let them off easy.NBC does suck, big time so let everyone know it.
I dont even care , I stopped watching it when Conan got shafted out.... its Karma.
I enjoy Jay Leno's tonight show, particularly headlines, and Jaywalking.Â
I never ever cared for Leno~ glad he is getting what he deserves!
Leno's upset because this he got the job after Carson retired and again after he left and then replaced O'Brien. O'Brien who got shafted and Letterman who was up for the spot originally after Carson must be having a good laugh.
Interesting that KOMO's Google ad service is presenting me with an ad for a classic car site just because I am looking at a story about Jay Leno. At least he will have a hobby after he gets to retire. Wouldn't it be nice to have his problem.Â
The last paragraph is funny. He can give me one of his cars if he falls on hard times.
Leno needs to get on meds and walk away...
@Grumpa Your name is "Grumpa"...  We're talking comedy here.  Do you really even have a dog in this fight?Â