I've been following this whole Tonight Show/Jay/drama like everyone else, and I've come to this conclusion. The Tonight Show is no longer culturally relevant. It's an archaic remnant from a different time in television and our media history. I used to watch the Tonight Show as a kid. Looking back on it now I appreciated Johnny Carson. I liked his delivery, his rapport with Ed McMahon and Doc and the way his show seemed kind of special. It was an eye into Hollywood in the days before the instant gratification of the internet. People were excited to be there, and I was excited to be up late watching. There are some undeniable, gut bustingly funny Johnny Carson moments, even though my favorite times were always when Joan Embree was on. I was also blessed with an aunt who looked after me on many a weekend as a kid and let me stay up late. I saw a lot of the original run of Saturday Night Live's classic early days, and even as a young kid I knew I liked SNL better. When the first war for the Tonight Show happened in the early 90's, I never understood why Letterman wanted the gig so badly. No way the Tonight Show was a better gig than Late Night. The Tonight Show was what I had to wait through to get to Letterman, or SNL.
I understand that being a comedian, The Tonight Show was the place that could make or break your career, especially if Johnny invited you back to sit on the couch. Getting the reigns of The Tonight Show has got to be the Holy Grail for that old school romantic ideal of being a comedian. But the thing is, the playing field has changed drastically. Leno's unfunny, sterile comedy for the middle American masses is proof of that. The Tonight Show is not cutting edge, or sharp, or even that funny. It's appeal lies in that old nostalgic view of Tinseltown. It's a show for old people who can't appreciate humor that's not punctuated with a drumroll. The Tonight Show sucks. It kind of ended with Johnny, who was part of the old guard of television personalities who really helped shape what was then a nascent medium.
I love Conan, but his Tonight Show was just Late Night an hour earlier, and that hour is what marks the difference between people who enjoy his brand of humor and the squares who think Leno is funny. Look at who rallied around Conan. Young people, largely on the internet. People who realize the difference between funny and formula. Conan went out tonight with class. He's a guy who obviously has immense respect for the business, and had to shoot for the mantle of the Tonight Show, even though his rise from behind the scenes comedy writer to beloved host of Late Night and succeeding the mighty David Letterman was far more relevant than sitting where Carson once did.
So Leno gets the Tonight Show back, proving that people don't really want anything new, or interesting, just the same pre-chewed easy to digest comedy kibble for middle America. The Tonight Show is nothing but a name, a trademark with a dollar value. It hasn't mattered in decades, seemingly as long as it's been on cruise control. Conan, you're better off without it.
I understand that being a comedian, The Tonight Show was the place that could make or break your career, especially if Johnny invited you back to sit on the couch. Getting the reigns of The Tonight Show has got to be the Holy Grail for that old school romantic ideal of being a comedian. But the thing is, the playing field has changed drastically. Leno's unfunny, sterile comedy for the middle American masses is proof of that. The Tonight Show is not cutting edge, or sharp, or even that funny. It's appeal lies in that old nostalgic view of Tinseltown. It's a show for old people who can't appreciate humor that's not punctuated with a drumroll. The Tonight Show sucks. It kind of ended with Johnny, who was part of the old guard of television personalities who really helped shape what was then a nascent medium.
I love Conan, but his Tonight Show was just Late Night an hour earlier, and that hour is what marks the difference between people who enjoy his brand of humor and the squares who think Leno is funny. Look at who rallied around Conan. Young people, largely on the internet. People who realize the difference between funny and formula. Conan went out tonight with class. He's a guy who obviously has immense respect for the business, and had to shoot for the mantle of the Tonight Show, even though his rise from behind the scenes comedy writer to beloved host of Late Night and succeeding the mighty David Letterman was far more relevant than sitting where Carson once did.
So Leno gets the Tonight Show back, proving that people don't really want anything new, or interesting, just the same pre-chewed easy to digest comedy kibble for middle America. The Tonight Show is nothing but a name, a trademark with a dollar value. It hasn't mattered in decades, seemingly as long as it's been on cruise control. Conan, you're better off without it.
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