Why comics hate Leno

[pokerfan]

By Nathan Rabin (head writer at Onion)

In his prime, Leno was a brilliant craftsman with sharp material, impeccable delivery, fantastic timing and an affable everyman persona. Even future enemy David Letterman had enormous respect for him as a stand-up comic in the beginning.

So why has seemingly the sum of the comedy world turned on Leno with shocking viciousness? Why has he raced past the reviled likes of Dane Cook and Carlos Mencia on the list of popular stand-ups comedians love to hate?

http://blogs.wsj.com/speakeasy/2010/01/15/why-some-comics-arent-laughing-at-jay-leno-essay

Me? I'm with Coco...

[EOTE]

1. I never thought he was funny.

Not even in his hey day. Now he's just painfully unfunny. All those writers and he can't even illicit a giggle from me? It's bad enough that he mostly just parrots other peoples' material, but the dude has absolutely no comedic timing. The man honestly makes me ill.

I too, stand with CoCo.

[M155Y_A1CH]

2. Agree

Not funny and never was.

[pokerfan]

3. I can't deny his popularity (at least on Tonight Show)

but I know that I'd rather hang around Conan people than Leno people. Leno is just bland and a comedy coward afraid to take any risks. Letterman, Conan and even Kimmel are all willing to try challenging, edgy material that might offend. Sometimes that approach falls on its face. That's the risk element. That's what happens when you work without a net. When it doesn't work, I just shrug and wait for the next bit but when it works, it makes me laugh like none other.

[AllenVanAllen]

32. "Leno is just bland and a comedy coward afraid to take any risks."

That sort of thing might be a little tough if your "owned".

Is Jay Leno a Corporate Shill?

http://www.edrants.com/is-jay-leno-a-corporate-shill

[MrCoffee]

4. "the dude has absolutely no comedic timing" - TRUTH

[Zomby Woof]

7. elicit

:eyes:

[bigwillq]

10. I've never thought he was funny, either.

I'm a big Letterman fan.

[Arugula Latte]

23. I only liked him in the 80s when he subbed for Johnny.

After that, total and complete SUCKAGE.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

5. I'm loving the comeuppance he's getting.

All that money can't buy the respect of your peers.

[jobycom]

6. I haven't late night in so long that Conan sucked and Leno was likable when I did.

I don't know if Conan got better or if comedy just sucks so bad that he seems funny now. I've seen Dane Cook and Carlos Mencia, so I'm leaning towards the second explanation.

[Bertha Venation]

8. great essay

Even though I haven't found O'Brien very funny on the Tonight Show, I think what NBC is doing is ridiculous. I will never watch the Tonight Show again as long as Leno is on it.

[lifesbeautifulmagic]

17. The minute Leno booked Rush

I was done...

plus he is not funny. Ferguson is the Man! :)

[Generic Brad]

26. Wasn't that the second night?

When I saw Limbaugh, I tuned out and have not returned.

[vadawg]

33. I SO HATE FERGUSON, i liked bing hitler ferguson no...

[LostInAnomie]

9. That's a damn good article. Thanks for posting it.

NBC is really killing themselves by screwing over Conan. He's a brilliant guy with a very sharp and creative comedic mind. Conan would be able to put out fresh and funny material throughout his whole career. Whichever network gets him after this thing blows over is going to reap the benefits.

Leno, on the otherhand, is stagnant and stale. He'll probably only be around for a few more years (especially after all the bad publicity he's getting for this move), and then NBC will be looking for someone to fill his spot.

[rebel with a cause]

12. NBC executive is now calling Conan gutless.

Talk about low blows.

I was never fond of Leno and after what happened between him and Letterman, he was definitely not my favorite person. Then came the last eight years and to Leno = repub and Letterman = liberal. Enough said. Leno was toast.. Now this just puts the jelly on the bread, because he is doing to Conan the same thing he did to Letterman. A knife in the back and then step over them to get to where he wants to be. JMHO

[rurallib]

13. Funny how Leno is in the middle of the two big controversies

around the Tonite show.
Frankly, I could care less about rich fuckers fighting over the feast. I am even more reviled by some corporate mucky-muck fucking things up and others taking the grief for his fuck-ups.
All that being said I have never cared for Leno. I like Letterman and O'Brien, but like Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert more.

[rebel with a cause]

15. Oh, don't get me wrong.

The only late night I watch is Stewart and Colbert. In the old days when they were off on vacation, I would watch Letterman long enough to see his bush joke but aside from that....

As far as caring about the shit going on now, it always makes me mad when the executives get involved and use their pr machines to attack one of their players who have not done their bidding. I am always for the underdog. That is unless there are principles involved.

[pokerfan]

14. That's really ironic

because Leno the Milquetoast is about the most gutless comedian in history.

[pokerfan]

35. Not to worry

When Leno is finished, Zucker will probably give the Tonight Show to Jimmy Fallon.

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[Initech]

11. I'm on Conan's side as well.

Although I have to say I've been incredibly entertained by late-night TV this week. And I don't usually watch late night either. :popcorn:

[MilesColtrane]

16. I'd call Leno a sell out, but I'm not sure he EVER had anything.

If Bill Hicks was Mozart,

then Jay Leno is Salieri.

[JTG of the PRB]

18. Excellent article! Thanks for sharing it!

I'm on Team Coco too!

[mulsh]

19. the Leno tonight show is dull. HIs monolouge is banal

I stopped watching after a couple of months. When ever I've tuned in over the years I've always changed channels quickly. I never cared much for Letterman but he is at least funny. Conan always struck me as funny. Conan impressed me early on when he had blues guitarist Jimmie Reed on, from his interview with this very obscure man it was obvious that Conan did his homework and was probably a fan.

[arcadian]

20. Conan went to Harvard and wrote for The Simpsons

Leno went to Emerson College and does Diritoes commercials.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

21. Mind if I steal your sigline pic so I can support CoCo as well?...n/t

[pokerfan]

22. Not at all...

I'm a free, open source guy...

[Odin2005]

24. Leno is a used-up has-been.

[fishwax]

25. jealousy

:hide:

[Sultana]

27. COCO forever

[MadBadger]

28. Comedy Guru Patton Oswalt???

[Robeson]

29. I'm sorry, I just never got the Leno thing.

[Mendocino]

30. It's not limited to comics.

[6000eliot]

31. I never watched Leno.

That Jaywalking bit always seemed reprehensible in the ads for the show, and the dancing Itos was so racist, it's unbelievable that there wasn't an uproar about it.

[ashling]

34. Neither one of them are terribly funny

one man's opinion :shrug:

[Zavulon]

36. Conan is funnier by default.

Still, I am rarely amused by any of them - Leno, Letterman, Conan, Colbert, Cook, Mencia - I just don't find them funny. I guess comedy really isn't my thing.

[tigereye]

37. O"Brien is much more cutting- edge, much funnier

NBC sucks in their pursuit of mediocrity. Leno used to be much funnier in the old days.