In two more years Jay Leno's contract will be up with NBC, and word on the street is that the network is considering replacing him with Jimmy Fallon as the new host of The Tonight Show.
According to the New York Daily News, NBC is looking to bring in Fallon so that they can get ahold of the 18-49 demographic.
Word started to spread when various talent agents admitted they have been quietly contacted by NBC officials hoping to find a new late-late host who will eventually take over Fallon’s 12:35 a.m. time slot.
Leno’s currently makes $15 million a year, and earlier this year he “volunteered” to take a 50% pay cut when he learned that NBC execs were planning to fire some of his staff, a move that helped NBC slash "The Tonight Show’s" $100 million budget by about 20%.
Since there is a rise in younger viewership on other late-night shows (like Jimmy Kimmel, Chelsea Lately, Conan, and I'm sure VH1 is hoping they get those same viewers when Jenny McCarthy's late night show launches in January), NBC is hoping they can get a piece of the youth pie.
Speaking of Kimmel, his late night show is set to move to 11:35 p.m., switching places with “Nightline” in a bid to boost the network’s percentage of viewers between the ages of 18 and 49 — a group prized by advertisers.
Meanwhile, at CBS, Leno’s nemesis, David Letterman, is also under contract until 2014, and there has been a long unsaid understanding throughout the TV industry that Leno won’t step down until Dave does.
Let's also not forget the drama that happened a few years ago when Jay Leno had his own show on at 10 pm, which proved to be a ratings disaster. Conan was to take over The Tonight Show, NBC lost a shitload of money and it cost Conan his job, which had him bitterly moving over to TBS with a new talk show.
I don't watch Leno or Letterman simply because I can't get into their style of comedy or their guests don't really interest me. I wish there was actually a little more diversity when it comes to late night shows, and I'm not sure I'll be interested in seeing Fallon on The Tonight Show.
Personally speaking I would rather do a late night show on basic cable than on network TV, because there's so much pressure in regards to ratings and advertisements. Leno usually kisses the asses of his guests and the guests are usually boring as hell when they come on. I like my hosts to have a little fun and have some edge to them, and I don't get that from Leno (who is whiny), Letterman (who suffers from cranky old man synrome), or Fallon (a pompous kiss-ass).
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