Hey, a lot happens in five shows. Let's get right into it!
COMEDY CORRESPONDENTS Arsenio Hall was featured twice this week. His first appearance was in a segment that had potential called "This Is What They Said/This Is What They Meant." I was expecting to see video clips of celebrities, politicians and the like spouting their same bullcrap, and then having Hall tell us what he thinks they really meant. Instead, it was Leno reading quotes, including historically famous ones like Julius Ceasar's "Et tu, Brute!" The gag didn't make sense anymore, and even worse the bits weren't funny.
Luckily, he came back later in the week with an on-site spot at Yankee Stadium, where he interviewed players from both teams and even set up a bet against a Yankees player and Phillies fan Kevin Eubanks involving Snuggies.
I'll give Leno credit for getting creative in the ways he's starting to incorporate celebrities into bits and segments. It fills time for him and gives them their plug opportunities. Tonight, he trotted out three of The Real Housewives of Orange County for a "Battle of the Jaywalk All-Stars Challenge." And ... wow.
I don't watch The Real Houswives of anywhere, but if this is the intellectual capacity of their "stars," then I'm glad I don't. I couldn't tell if they were putting on an act or if they were being themselves. Either way, it was obnoxious and I wanted to reach through the screen and strangle each of them. The blondes were enforcing stereotypes left and right!
If it was all an act, then that's even more unfortunate, because it means they're playing characters rather than being themselves. What? A reality show that's less than real? It was funny that their first reaction to seeing a picture of Nancy Pelosi was that she needed botox. And of course, they had no idea who she was, or anyone else.
A talk show can only be as good as its guest. That means The Jay Leno Show can only get better than Pee Wee Herman's tornado of suck.
Wednesday's episode was a big step up from the previous night, thanks in part to Vince Vaughn's entertaining sit-down with the big chinned one. Couple that with some entertaining features like "Jaywalking" and the second "Green Car Challenge," and you've got a much better show this time round the track.
Part of that success has to do with the show's choice of guest stars, but this show stuck to what makes it work by introducing new segments that fit the old show's style and building on old ones.
"Primetime Had It Coming." That's the tagline for The Jay Leno Show, at least on the new web site, which launched this week. I guess it will be up to viewers to decide if primetime has it coming (not even really sure what it means...).
It has a different name and logo, but the show is going to be quite a bit like The Tonight Show, with "Headlines," "Jaywalking," standup, and even "Jay's Garage." But there's also a live webcam direct from the studio. It's creepy, though. Not much going on, and there's a sound in the background like the ants in the movie Them. The show premieres on September 14.
I'm not sure why Today ran this segment this morning. You'd think that a "day in the life of Jay Leno" feature would run when he starts his The Tonight Show, not when he's one day from ending it forever. This isn't going to be his day anymore. I hope they do one for Conan when he takes over the show. Anyway, we get to see Leno from morning until the taping of his show (and what he does when taping ends, which is still more work). (Video also here.)
NBC announced their new shows today (still no word yet on Chuck, Law and Order, or Medium), and they also have a sneak peek of Jay Leno's new Monday through Friday at 10PM show. From the looks of it, I think the only reason they're not calling it The Tonight Show is because that name is already taken. Maybe it be The Tonight Show Pre-Game? Headlines! Celebrities! Comedy! Monlogues! Jaywalking!
If you can't stay up late enough to watch Leno (and you actually like him), iTunes is your new best friend. Starting today, NBC will offer clips from the previous night's episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. That means Jay's full monologue and comedy sketches (like JayWalking and Headlines) will be available for $1.99. You can also get a season pass-type-deal and get 20 of Leno's monologues a month for $9.99.
Hey, a lot happens in five shows. Let's get right into it!
I'll give Leno credit for getting creative in the ways he's starting to incorporate celebrities into bits and segments. It fills time for him and gives them their plug opportunities. Tonight, he trotted out three of The Real Housewives of Orange County for a "Battle of the Jaywalk All-Stars Challenge." And ... wow.
A talk show can only be as good as its guest. That means 
"Primetime Had It Coming." That's the tagline for 
If you can't stay up late enough to watch Leno (and you actually like him), iTunes is your new best friend. Starting today, NBC will offer clips from the previous night's episode of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. That means Jay's full monologue and comedy sketches (like JayWalking and Headlines) will be available for $1.99. You can also get a season pass-type-deal and get 20 of Leno's monologues a month for $9.99.
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