I have not seen this Jay Leno show that is on at 10 p.m. every night now and I most likely never will, because it's just an inconvenient time for me, and also, I have always despised him. It does not sound like something that will do anything for me. Today Nancy Franklin explains what it is all like, down to something called the "Ten @ Ten" segment:
It's a question-and-answer bit, wherein a celebrity on location somewhere is called up via satellite and asked ten questions that will supposedly elicit funny or edifying responses. Tom Cruise was asked if he had ever been to a strip club. ("No," he said-and the audience booed, a reaction I don't think I want to understand.) Amy Poehler was asked to name as many national parks as she could in fifteen seconds (because she stars in a show called "Parks and Recreation"). Mel Gibson was asked, I kid you not, "What is your favorite thing to eat for dinner?," "Where do you keep your Academy Awards?," and "Worst job you ever had?" Leno calls himself "a big-tent guy," but this isn't big-tent show business; this is the saddest of carnivals.
You are correct. Still not funny. But Leno seems like a fairly good-hearted liberal, and relatively harmless, so if people watch him, more power to him.
Is this the same Nancy Frankin who hates EVERYTHING? Melrose place? She thinks it sucks. This American Life? She thinks it sucks (it usually does). Hung? Thinks it sucks. Gossip Girls. She thinks it's lame. Suck it Gossip Girl. Ken Burns 'The War'? She thinks it's tedious... and it sucks. Katie Curic? She thinks she sucks. Seriously, why does the New Yorker even have a TV review section and why does it pick stuff it knows its readers will despise on cultural grounds? Just to provide a good 1000-word space for everyone to feel good about themselves and for writers to sharpen their axes?
Furthermore, can we be done with the hating on Jay Leno. I've watched the show a few times and while it's not my speed it's not THAT bad (I'm looking at you, smug Gawker elitists). Christ, there are some laughs there. It's certainly funnier than most Shouts and Murmurs entries. Not all humor can be Monty Python or 30 Rock. Some people's sense of humor does not extend into the meta... Or should it be more... you know, funny like Cindra Wilson. HA! HA! Some people just like the old Don Rickles stuff so shut up about it already you snobs.
Wait, wait-- don't tell me--it's you doing Edith Zimmerman doing a "real person" letter to The New Yorker,right?
Aw, I enjoy Shouts and Murmurs especially when it's Simon Rich doing the talking animal thing. I can't help it! Simon Rich is my own personal Jay Leno.
Would you believe Nancy Franklin doesn't care for 30 Rock either? Except for Alec Baldwin. He's dreamy.
"His Awesome Majesty Alec Baldwin, the King of Comedy"
Tell us what you really think, Nancy.
Oh yeah. Forgot about that one. I'm sure there are more. Why does she even watch TV?
In this case, I think the cynicism is well matched to that of the NBC execs.
I disagree with Nancy Franklin. I bet Jay takes down plenty of big tents.
The best thing about this article is that there is a Jay Leno internet ad placed on the right hand side of the page.
Jay Leno's show is terrible, but no less so than the desperate pageant contestants (thanks Craig Finn!) that fill the skank-patrol reality shows that would otherwise take the time slot. So, who cares? It's mainstream entertainment, which is always going to suck. Like "Transformers 2." Or Nickelback. Or Oprah.
Is anyone else dying to know what Mel's favorite thing to eat for dinner is now?
I have no room to act all highbrow. I'm still laughing about Keenan Thompson's Moammar DeBarge joke from SNL.
I'm going to venture to guess it's not kugel.
"Kugel is responsible for all the indigestion in the world" - Mel Gibson.
Did everyone hate Leno's Tonight Show? Because it seems to be the same show, an hour earlier, and without a desk.
Seeing Leno's knees is where I draw the line.
at eye level?
Wait, is it not OK to hate Leno now? You can't despise his new show because it's only mediocre and therefore harmless? I didn't really mind when he was on the Tonight Show because I'm an old lady and can't stay up past 11:00p.m. But I'm a little pissed that his mediocrity is now taking up an earlier time slot.
No women writers? What about Sally? Without her there would be no Alan Brady Show.