Talk show hosts are a different story. Jay has proven that being a "nice" talk show host will reap you millions and all the classic cars you could ever want to tinker with. I know I'm in the minority here, but I was never a huge Leno fan. I'm a Letterman guy to the death. Dave is the antithesis of "nice." The thing that always impressed me most about Jay was how he could sit next to vapid celebrities night after night and appear enthusiastic about it. If you can sit next to Snooki more than once and actually look interested in what she has to say, then you have a rare talent, my friend. David Letterman has never tried to hide his disdain for all things "celebrity."
The Letterman show's number one priority was always comedy. The Leno show's priority was always the guests. Therein lies the difference. An example: When Hugh Grant was caught with a hooker, he went on Jay's show to do penance, because, God forbid, that guy in those romantic movies should turn out to be human. Jay's first question: "What were you thinking?" America laughs. We can all relax now. Over on Dave's show, he had America's Sweetheart Julia Roberts on after she had been through a public break-up. Dave told her that bandleader Paul Shaffer had a question for her. Paul asks, "So Julia...you getting any?" It's rude, obnoxious, and, most importantly, funny as shit. That in a nutshell is why I love Dave.
Here's a weird fact about me: Whenever I think about the Leno show, the first thing that pops into my head are those damn "Dancing Itos" that Jay always had as a bit during the OJ Simpson trial. Judge Ito was presiding over the trial and every night, Jay would trot out these guys dressed in judge's robes to dance a little jig. I'm a comedian and you could hold a gun to my head and I couldn't tell you why people thought that was funny. Be honest...neither could you. Dave did, and does, a lot of absurd bits. Monkey-cam, Stupid Pet Tricks, Is This Anything?, Will It Float?, dropping stuff off a building. That is some absurd shit. There's a difference between absurd and pointless, however.
Look, I'm not trying to bash Jay. He is beloved by millions. He always won the ratings battle over Dave. ( It needs to be noted, however, that Jay became known, primarily, because of his frequent appearances on Dave's "Late Night" show when it followed Johnny Carson. ) It's just a my opinion. I think Dave going to door to door with Siskel and Ebert and asking people if they need any yard work done is funnier than "Jaywalking." Jay's final show was as uneventful and inoffensive as all of his shows were. That was his secret: send America to bed without ruffling any feathers and remember that the show is the most important thing. Dave thinks the whole concept of a "talk show" is a joke and treats it as such. Dave doesn't care if you go to bed comfortable.
I didn't feel any emotion as I watched Jay's last hurrah. As a matter of fact, there have been only two times I've gotten emotional watching a talk show. First was watching Johnny Carson tear up as Bette Midler sang on his final night on "The Tonight Show." ( THAT was a historic moment. ) Second, I was watching Dave one night and he began doing monologue jokes concerning events that had happened a year or two years before. I thought at first that it was a rerun, even though it was supposed to be a new show. After doing these jokes, Dave let it be known that all of those jokes had been written by Johnny Carson, who had been writing jokes for Dave and sending them to him for years after he had retired. Johnny had just passed away. It was one of the most moving things I've ever seen on television. And proof that Johnny thought Dave was funnier, too.
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