I like Jay better than Dave... does this make me evil?

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

I don't know much about Johnny Carson, since I didn't grow up here and I got in the U.S. at the end of his show. My hubby is a big fan, though, and I've seen a few clips.

Now, I don't know or care if Johnny preferred Dave over Jay. The fact is that I've seen both Dave (on TV and live a few times) and Jay (only on TV), and I just simply prefer Jay.

It seems there are many Dave fans who have a little bit of, shall we say, antipathy toward Jay.

I find Jay more audience-friendly than Dave, and more at ease with his guests. (again, I've been at the Ed Sullivan Theater a few times as part of the audience for Dave) I also like Jay's jokes and monologues better than Dave's.... to each his/her own, I say.

So, if you like Jay, please post here...

[Joe Power]

1. Yes

Sorry

[Jack_Dawson]

52. Not "Evil"...just less sophisticated

But most of America is with you...and George Dubya as well, come to think of it. :toast:

[Benhurst]

2. Yes.

[AlCzervik]

3. "Audience friendly" huh?

[dhinojosa]

4. You're in NYC? And you don't like Dave?

<slap> :)

:freak:

[aden_nak]

5. Not quite evil. . . just. . . damaged somehow.

[WilmywoodNCparalegal]

8. Ouch!

I assure you, I'm quite alright mentally

[aden_nak]

9. But your soul, my friend. YOUR SOUL!

[kick-ass-bob]

6. Neither's monologues hold a candle to Johnny Carson's (IMO).

Dave has a different type of humor - you either love it or you don't.

I do.

[theboss]

7. I just feel sorry for you

Like the people I see muttering in the park.

[Lex]

10. Yes.

Yes, it does.

[progressoid]

11. Perhaps an intevention is needed

or a good old fashioned de-programming

[bif]

12. Yes. And a moran.

Just kiddingl To each his own. I've never found Jay funny at all. Dave was a lot funnier and more spontaneous in his early days. But he still cracks me up.

[merh]

13. Yes.

Have you considered an exorcism.

Where are my candles, I must light some for you!

[SOteric]

14. I love Jay, too.

Pay them no mind. Everyone's entitled to their opinion.

For what it's worth, Jay was born and raised in liberal Boston by blue collar parents. He's married to a prominent Democratic activist and he and his wife have given loads of money to Democrats and Democratic candidates, including Barbara Boxer. Never a cent to Republicans.

While Jay proclaims himself an independent, it's pretty obvious to me that he's by no means a Republican as so many of his DU detractors claim.

[GalleryGod]

19. So When He introduced Steroid Boy as a "Fellow Republican" he was

just funnin' us?

Leno was as close as you could get to an on air Cheerleader/Campaign Manager during the California Coup D' Tat.

Jeez...and that was, indeed, Jay & Mavis backstage on election night?

[SOteric]

23. I watched that show

and had it on tape. I played it several times. He never called Arnold a "Fellow Republican." The Los Angeles Times, in it's article, indicated that Jay let 'fellow Republican' Arnold introduce his campaign on the show. But Jay himself never uttered the words.
The Times is simply mistaken.

I disagree that Leno was a cheerleader for the politcal combustion in California. He's a comedian and he utilises topical issues in his material. All good comedians do, but he dished both sides. Moreover, citizens of this country are entitled to their viewpoints.

If Jay Leno votes 80% Democrat and 20% Republican, does that make him a Republican? I choose to accept his self-identification as an independent. He gives his money to Democratic causes, but he may support the odd Republican issue here and there. And frankly, that's his perogative. Politics in the U.S. shouldn't require a loyalty oath.

Having Arnie on his show was a good ratings move. He'd have to be an idiot to turn down that kind of free press. Maria Shriver is a Kennedy. Most blue collar Boston liberals of Jay's age have a certain awe and reverence for all things Kennedy. Arnold and Maria are personal friends of Jay Leno's. If I were in Jay's shoes on this one, I'd have had Arnie on the show, too.

[GalleryGod]

47. I suggest you form a DU group for Jay-lovers

:grouphug:

That would help you.

[SOteric]

48. How charitable

to presume my tastes and opinions cause me need of help and support. But don't fret on my account, friend. As luck would have it, I've more backbone and intelligence than that.

:hi:

[Adenoid_Hynkel]

43. except for shilling for ahnold

and denying grey davis equal time.

he also emceed the gropinator's victory celebration-and don't get me started on how he eggs dennis miller's rightwing hate, giggling and patting the desk as miller advocates beating up antiwar activists

[merh]

53. Don't forget that nauseating interview/appearance of Pickles

before the election. :puke: He is a friggin repuke and even Carson's stage manager for 20 years said Leno has no class. He never once mentioned, let alone thanked Johnny, not until he died, then he did that teary eyed bit and the salute.

[theboss]

44. I think it's unfair to hate him for political reasons

I don't care what his politics are, and I don't blame him for the Arnold stuff. I refuse to personalize politics like so many people here do.

But the Arnold stuff does represent how Jay runs the show and it bugs me. I used to love him in the 80s. At times, I looked forward to his guest-hosting more than Carson's original shows. And anytime he went on Letterman, it was gold.

What I don't like now is this "Anything for Ratings/Company Guy/Populist" Jay shit he does. It seems like every joke, skit, and interview is sent to a focus group to make sure at least 5 million people will like it. Johnny at his peak, Dave, and even Conan don't seem to give a damn about mass consumption. They all seem willing to do their type of humor and worry about who likes it later.

True, Dave is not as edgy as he once was, but he's also in his 50s, a father, and had a brush with death. But he's still not an ass-kisser.

[Dukkha]

15. not evil...just a misaligned sense of humor

If you find Leno's crap funny.

[lpbk2713]

16. Yes. You're evil to the core.

You need redemption.

[GalleryGod]

17. Pretty Much.

Jay= Smarmy, Republican Punk:puke:

[SOteric]

25. Nope. Not true. That's disinformation.

He's nothing of the sort.

[davidinalameda]

18. yes

you are evil and must be destroyed

:evilgrin:

[ThorsHammer]

20. I don't like either that much, but do like Jay a little more

[MessiahRp]

21. Conan O'Brien

Way funnier than either of those two and every show of his makes me bust a gut laughing. But stuck with these choices I choose Jay. Dave's just not very funny to me.

Rp

[MsAnthropy]

22. I agree! I won't watch Dave and can't watch Jay

Conan rocks

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

33. Same here.

My order of preference is
1. Conan
2. Leno
3. Letterman

[Dedalus]

24. Some information...

Johnny Carson liked Letterman better than Leno, and admitted this on several occasions. He wanted Letterman to get the Tonight Show, and still sent him jokes occasionally when he was writing in retirement.

The people who say Leno is a Republican, however, are just plain wrong. He is openly a Democrat, and has talked in interviews about how much he hates Bush and how it depresses him that he is seen as the "conservative" one when compared to Letterman. I guess he's friends with Arnold, but Arnold is basically the farthest left of any prominent Republican in the country--I'd bet he would have been willing to run as an Independent against a Republican incumbent (provided he could have gotten any contributions by doing so).

Letterman may seem more liberal because he's "edgier," but there's really no evidence about what his personal beliefs are, and absolutely no rationale for saying that he's more or less progressive than Leno when it comes to the issues.

[lpbk2713]

28. Letterman wasn't a shill for Ahnold on his campaign.

And he doesn't have Penis Miller as a frequent guest.

[ashling]

26. Not evil

just humour impaired:)

[phylla]

27. yep, it does.

[madison2000]

29. I like Jay better than Dave

He makes me laugh out loud, and I love Jay Walks and "Headlines".
Letterman seems arrogant.

[rene moon]

30. No, not at all

But let me tell you, Conan's better than both of them.

I really can't stand Letterman, so I guess I do like Leno better. But I rarely watch the Tonight Show.

Don't let the people around here make you feel bad about it. Like what you like and to hell with everyone else :)

[mtnsnake]

31. Jay Leno is sooo much funnier. Since he took over

I've never watched another opening monologue by Letterman. Leno's are the best and his deliveries are naturally funny. In fact, I'll take his entire show over Dave's. I'm not saying Letterman isn't great, though. BTW, I was never a fan of Dave's Top Ten list which I always found boring.

[Zing Zing Zingbah]

32. I like Leno better too.

I used to like Letterman a lot back when he was on NBC in Conan's time slot. The show seems different to me now for some reason. Conan is my favorite out of the three.

[Nye Bevan]

34. No! Dave may be hipper but Jay is funnier

I have always been a little perplexed by the level of dislike for Jay on DU. I watch his monologue almost every night and as well as being funny, on average he targets Repukes and Dems pretty equally. (The Bush impersonater he "interviews" every so often is pretty funny).

And I love the "headlines" on Monday nights.

[madison2000]

42. The headlines are the highlight of my week

no matter how lousy a week its been, I know that segment is going to make me laugh out loud!

And he is even-handed when it comes to making fun of politicians- he certainly doesn't spare Bush.

[Cadence]

35. I like Jay. Jaywalking is hilarious.

Scary, but hilarious.

[Rob H.]

36. Conan's funnier than either one of them

I've seen Dave do a damn good job on some of his interviews when he's had political candidates on, though.

He also did a Top Ten List one night that still ranks as one of my favorites--"Top Ten Things That Sound Creepy When Said by John Malkovich." The fact that John Malkovich actually came out and read it just made it that much funnier. (My favorite: "Johnny likes bunnies.")

I quit watching Jay when he was still making lame-ass Clinton jokes in late 2002. (C'mon, he'd been out of office for two years already!) It'd also help if he'd have Dennis Miller on a little less frequently.



Edited to add John Malkovich "Top Ten."

[Nye Bevan]

45. Jay is still doing Clinton jokes and they are still funny IMO!

Yes, Bill Clinton was one of our greatest recent presidents, intelligent, charismatic and politically very gifted; but I still find jokes about his extra-curricular activities amusing.

Jay last night: when Hillary fainted, fortunately Bill was nearby and he immediately administered mouth-to-mouth.........to another woman.

The doctors were very concerned when Hillary's body temperature climbed up to 34 degrees.

[redqueen]

37. I'm not supposed to post here.

I feel like such a rebel.

[mtnsnake]

38. I love Jay's "good dancer or bad dancer?" routine out in the street

That can be hilarious.

OTOH, his "dumb people" interviews are really beat.

[Celeborn Skywalker]

39. I used to like Leno alot

Now, I really don't watch any of the late night shows.

[miss_kitty]

40. From what I understand Johnny was PISSED when Jay was tapped

to take over the Tonight show. He thought Dave should've been the host. I think NBC thought Dave would whine a little and stay in the Late show.
I have always liked them both, and consider Jay's early style of not trashing people-gays to be specific-to be paramount in the saving of my friends life-at least it gave him a couple extra years.

I had tickets to see Leno and asked my pal Frank to go with. It was 1986 and when I saw Frank he was obviously sick-really gasping for breath sick. He said he'd been that way for a month and his doc told him he had the flu. I told him it was pneumocystis-and to get to the hospital. Frank would not have gone with me had Jay been a bigoted gay-bashing comic. It gave Frank 3 extra years-mostly healthy.

I like Dave better though.

[Mr. McD]

41. No,

Jay's much funnier than Dave. I have never understood how Letterman got the job. I can't say that I am much of a Leno fan either though.:shrug:

[RagingInMiami]

46. I always figured that Jay was more west coast and Dave mor east coast

At least as far as their humor goes. Jay crack jokes that are funny to Angelenos, but might leave a NYer clueless and vice versa.

[sonicx]

49. Leno is sometimes funny, but...

his interviews suck.

[UdoKier]

50. Nah, you're not evil...

just... conventional.

;)

[swimmernsecretsea]

51. Please, no need to apologize...

It's like appreciating the Carpenters or watching The Brady Bunch on TV Land. Really, having a refined sense of kitsch is a good thing, to quote Martha Stewart.

What? This is serious! GET OUT!