Comments | devifemme: 'Bye, Jay...

devifemme

'Bye, Jay...

Feb 08, 2014 09:13

"I’m glad I didn’t know ( Read more... )

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musicman February 8 2014, 15:15:33 UTC

I moved to St. Petersburg, Fl back some years ago, to live for a year near my parents. One of the oddities of the place were the billboards that J Leno had paid for, asking - begging - his local fans to tell the people at the Tonight Show that he had to be the successor as host on the show. It was one of the most tacky shows of ego I'd ever seen (and I'd seen a lot after several years photographing and arranging for photographic coverage of politicians, heads of state, and other ego-centric people in Washington, DC.)

I never watched his show. I hope he retires right back there to St. Peter and Tampa Bay.

devifemme February 9 2014, 05:12:46 UTC

I wonder why he hit particularly St. Pete with the billboards -- I recall his exaggerated resistance to being "retired" from the show. But I don't think he did billboards nationwide...

NBC eventually caved to his public complaining and hired him back for a few years -- booting Conan O'Brien, whom they'd put in to replace Jay. The farewell show last Friday was replete with knowing references by his friends to NBC having removed him before -- suggesting they'd do it again, maybe...

musicman February 9 2014, 10:15:52 UTC

He was from Tampa, or that was one of the areas where he'd spent substantial time. Kind of the home crowd supposed to cheer the hero on.

devifemme February 9 2014, 13:01:36 UTC

Actually, he's from Boston -- but maybe his folks retired there, as yours did.

He has his vast sports-car collection in Southern California -- several aircraft hangers full, apparently... so I doubt he's Florida-bound...

musicman February 9 2014, 13:06:43 UTC

Southern California is where all the hip stars live, I guess. They are welcome to him. I'm not a fan. (as you can probably tell)

devifemme February 9 2014, 13:18:57 UTC

We used to watch the Tonight show back in the 90s -- also Conan O'Brien's when we stayed up late. (I don't watch TV so late anymore -- I tend to blog then...)

musicman February 9 2014, 13:41:03 UTC

With further research - the 80's was an expansive period for comedy clubs, including in Tampa and elsewhere in the country. I wonder if he paid for billboards in other cities, too, to promote himself as successor to Carson? Whatever he did, worked, and I gotta hand it to him, he took his success on the chin. (groan) He has done a lot for charity, I know. He's not all bad.

devifemme February 10 2014, 05:03:02 UTC

Agreed. NBC has treated him pretty badly -- albeit paying him indecent amounts of money.

So I'll drink to Jay's happy retirement! Chin-chin!

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