Why Hollywood Wants Leno to Fail

Kimmel rebuts Jay Leno's Oprah Winfrey interview

(NEWSER) - After “ratting out” Jimmy Kimmel during his interview with Oprah Winfrey, Jay Leno seems to have no friends left in late night. Kimmel responded to yesterday's sit-down with the queen of all media—in which Leno claimed he felt “sucker punched” when Kimmel reamed him on the Jay Leno Show—by telling his side of the story. On last night's Jimmy Kimmel Live , the host explained that producers insisted on filling his "10 @ 10" segment with softball questions like “What’s your junk food weakness?” More»

His recent shows have held steady in the ratings or improved

(NEWSER) - A turning point for Jay Leno? For about two weeks now, episodes of the Leno Show have either held steady in the ratings or improved, reversing a trend that started soon after the program’s debut in September. On the eve of Thanksgiving, for instance, every broadcast program was down—except Leno. More»

Comedian's return comes at sensitive time for O'Brien, scripted drama

(NEWSER) - The premiere of the much-ballyhooed Jay Leno Show tomorrow night could revolutionize network television, thrilling Hollywood publicists and advertisers—or produce a stunning commercial embarrassment for NBC. Either way, "prepare for war," Guy Adams writes in the Independent. Leno’s rather noisy return to American television comes at a sensitive time for his struggling successor, Conan O’Brien, and for scripted dramas. Leno’s first week alone will include appearances by Jerry Seinfield, Jay-Z, Tom Cruise, Halle Berry, and Miley Cyrus. More»

Primetime debut likely won't stray far from late night formula

(NEWSER) - Two writers for Comedy.com who infiltrated a test taping of the new Jay Leno Show found it “muddled and confusing,” and they say Leno continues to “be a big ladle serving us more imitation comedy gruel.” Some insights:

• The studio: "Basically the old Tonight Show setup" but with "2 chairs and no desk, which we thought was awkward. Can Leno conduct an intimate interview with a guest?"

(NEWSER) - After months of promoting Jay Leno's move to 10pm, NBC may shake up its prime-time schedule again, moving its late local news to 10 and Leno to 10:30, the network's onetime programming head speculates. Garth Ancier, now chief of BBC America, shared his speculation with critics at the summer press tour this week in Los Angeles, Washington Post TV columnist Lisa de Moraes reports. More»