The Return of Jay Leno

Jay Leno returns to NBC this coming Monday with The Jay Leno Show: buyer beware.

A quick disclaimer: I am a total Dave loyalist, always have been, probably always will be even though Jay Leno and I share a hometown (Boston) and a school (Emerson).

Regardless, it is more or less agreed among comedy enthusiasts that through and through, Jay Leno isn't funny. He's amusing, he's cute, he'll get a chuckle out of the audience, but he's not 'funny.' See, as I learned from the Letterman taping, the audience has to cheer and be excited for absolutely EVERYTHING: a sneeze, a cough, it really doesn't matter, one moment of excitement lapse and you are outta there. So, the same thing applies for Jay Leno's show. Jay Leno goes through his dialogue, usually not that funny, and then does a series of segments that are, well, easy humor. 'Jay Walking' is Mr. Leno going around with pictures of famous people and asking passerby's who they are. Colin Powell? no idea, Michelle Obama, couldn't tell you? Joe Biden, who? Oh, wait that's Ryan Seacrest, definitely Ryan Seacrest... hilaaaarious! I honestly feel like any chump off the street could go around with pictures and make a funny or snide remark about the general lack of knowledge in America, it doesn't take a $30 million contract with NBC.

The issue with Jay will be, can he attract a younger comedy audience to the 10pm slot, usually reserved for dramas. The answer, I think, is no. He will certainly get the 60 and over crowd, which is usually reserved for 60 minutes, and no comedy shows. He won't get the younger crowd, the crowd that usually starts watching television at 11, and probably starts with The Daily Show and then maybe heads to Conan or Letterman. I just don't see him bringing in a huge audience. He's not edgy, he's never has been, never will be. In this day and age, you have to be an edgy comedian to succeed, unless you're hilarious without being edgy, which some people are - like Zach Galifiankiasksksk (sp?), but usually not. The reason Dave has succeeded all this time is that he likes to stir things up, be it with Rush Limbaugh, Madonna, Bill O'Reilly, or Sarah Palin. Dave likes that combativeness that he can get out of guests - he likes a duel if you will. Jay Leno would never pick a fight with anyone, which is fine, but in comedy, sometimes fights are good. Dave is happy to tell someone to go fuck off if he things they get too much airtime for their stupidity, Jay just sits back and giggles nervously.

I was watching Real Time with Bill Maher last night, and Jay Leno was a guest, which is a rarity. Bill Maher is a fairly serious, edgy comedian, he is far edgier than most - and it shows on his program. Bill tried to ingratiate Jay on the show, making a reference to Governor Mark Sanford and his Argentina affair, and Jay attempted to take that off and running, saying 'it's great, you tell your wife you're going for a walk, and you go to Argen-Teena, Argen-Teena...' and then he did his high-pitched laugh... and the audience groaned. Oh well, nice try, see you at 10pm.