Bill Carter: How Jimmy Fallon Crushed Stephen Colbert (and Everyone Else in Late Night)

This article goes to great pains attempting to explain why Stephen Colbert is failing in ratings.. One theory even says he is too smart for his audience. 

I disagree.

If you read back in the annals of this website, I predicted it would fail.. I thought this was a moment for CBS to name a female host for late night.. It was the moment. They blew it.

People don’t like politics at night. For that, they turn to the DAILY SHOW. For late night, they want silly lip synch battles, or as David Letterman once did, sidewalk races..

People want something to make their minds forget the day before bed.

Colbert reminds them of everything about the day they hated.
And that is why they turned to Fallon and will not turn away.

Bill Carter: How Jimmy Fallon Crushed Stephen Colbert (and Everyone Else in Late Night)

NY POST REPORTS: On Oct. 24, Fallon was stitched up at a hospital in Cambridge, Mass., after falling — and dropping a bottle of Jägermeister — while receiving the Harvard Lampoon’s Elmer Award for Excellence in Humor. “I threw the bottle and then I landed on broken glass,” a bandaged Fallon recapped on his show the following Monday. “There [were] pools of blood everywhere.”

THE NEW YORK POST is hitting at Fallon today with rumors of his impending train wreck.

Fallon has had two strange hand injuries..

From the POST rumor mill:

It’s the party guy’s third injury in four months, and sources say NBC is worried that Fallon’s drinking has turned excessive. And while they’re not doing anything about it — yet — “It’s gone from being a whisper to a chatter,” says one industry insider of Fallon’s over-the-top behavior.

In June, the 41-year-old comedian nearly severed his finger after tripping on a rug at his luxe Gramercy Park pad and catching his wedding ring on a countertop. Prior to that injury he had been out dining and posing with wine-drinking fans at Upper East Side Italian restaurant Scalinatella.

Fame.. Fortune.. the life of luxury. It has happened to better men before Fallon.. and will again after.

Unlike the NY POST, I don’t like watching the famous fall from grace. I hope this event will not occur.. train wrecks aren’t pretty. 

NY POST REPORTS: On Oct. 24, Fallon was stitched up at a hospital in Cambridge, Mass., after falling — and dropping a bottle of Jägermeister — while receiving the Harvard Lampoon’s Elmer Award for Excellence in Humor. “I threw the bottle and then I landed on broken glass,” a bandaged Fallon recapped on his show the following Monday. “There [were] pools of blood everywhere.”

Jimmy Fallon’s high ratings pushed David Letterman to retire, source says

I don’t know if I really believe this.. Leno trounced Letterman for years.

The bottom line is that David Letterman is 67, has a young child, and in all honesty, stopped being cutting edge and funny years ago..

In a sense, Letterman should not have renewed his contract in 2013. It seemed like he gave up a few years back..

But I will still say in his time, and in my own youth, Letterman was the funniest person on TV and changed the entire game of late night post-Carson.

Jimmy Fallon’s high ratings pushed David Letterman to retire, source says

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cU-eAzNp5Hw?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=281]

Billy Joel shakes off some dust and appears on the TONIGHT SHOW with Jimmy Fallon. And it made for pretty great music and good TV.  I saw Billy Joel twice live.. They were shows to remember. My wife wasn’t a fan and grudgingly went to the Hershey PA show a few years ago. She instantly became a fan during the outdoor nightmare performance in beautiful brisk air.. (I still don’t particularly like Fallon’s brand of hosting, but this clip was good, although one thing that seems to be ok with Fallon is how he loves his guests as much as we do.. not much fake about him).

(Source: https://www.youtube.com/)

The changed politics of late-night 'comedy' TV--FOR THE WORST

How disappointing.. So basically, late night comedy shows have gone from lampooning politicians to a world where they will allow them to ‘soften their image’ and be even faker than they were before.

Goodbye Carson…1980-1995 Letterman.. and all the others.. Hello Jimmy Fallon. 

Good luck being everyone’s friend.

The changed politics of late-night 'comedy' TV--FOR THE WORST

If there is anything cool about Jimmy Fallon's TONIGHT show it's this..

…it is returning to New York City after 42 years.

Now that is cool.

Him as a host? Not sure about that.. time will tell.

But glad it’s back in New York City…there ‘TONIGHT’ begins.

Billy Crystal will be the final Jay Leno TONIGHT guest..

Jimmy Fallon already announces his first TONIGHT SHOW guests: Will Smith and U2.. I think the show will be highly rated for a bit. I think that eventually people will move over to Jimmy Kimmel. I just don’t think Fallon has what it takes to engage a national audience like Leno did—and watching modern ‘comedians’ makes me realize just how unfunny they all are..

Letterman, CBS sign 'Late Show' deal through 2015

Got to say I’m a not surprised by this.. I think the show is stale now, I can’t even imagine what Letterman circa 2015 will be like..

But he really can’t go out on top. He hasn’t been on top since Hugh Grant was on top of a hooker and Leno got the first interview—and began his 23 years of high ratings..

But maybe CBS sees a chance with Dave up against Jimmy Fallon?

Letterman, CBS sign 'Late Show' deal through 2015

The late night host who leaves at the top of his game.. why?

They say it’s good to leave when you’re on top.. Jerry Seinfeld even did that when he stopped his program before the end of the 20th century.
The world of late night television will soon see an exit  of Jay Leno, who will leave the NBC’S TONIGHT SHOW. When he does leave, he will move on with some really high ratings..

As a matter of fact, one must ask why is leaving when he is so young, when he’s on top, and when he wins in the ratings every night (and has done so since the mid 1990s)..

I am a watcher of late night comedy..
Leno turned the tables on David Letterman in the 90s when he had Hugh Grant on his program after a sex scandal. After that, it seemed that all of the viewers who left the TONIGHT SHOW came back again.

For over a decade, Letterman was trailed. Jimmy Kimmel has been moving up in recent months, but still is behind the juggaruant of the TONIGHT SHOW.

As the DAILY BEAST points out in an extremely inter sting article today, Leno has been on top for 17 seasons..

17 seasons..
And this is the second time, even with high ratings, that NBC is tossing Leno aside in place of someone else they think can win the young demographic—even though Leno trounces competition in that age group!

I think Jimmy Fallon will start big and fail.. I predict that. While the TONIGHT SHOW will never perhaps be canceled for bad ratings, I do not think Fallon is ready for early late night. Beer pong and celebrity games will not work.. There may be a chance that Jimmy Fallon will end up being the best thing that could happen to David Letterman and Jimmy Kimmel.

If you’re interested, read the DAILY BEAST article here.. And afterwards think to yourself, why in the world is NBC getting rid of the best thing they have..in place of someone who may not live up to the expectations placed on him..

Is David Letterman's time coming to an end on CBS!?

The late night wars indeed.

And you thought Korea was getting tense..

Is David Letterman's time coming to an end on CBS!?

It feels like the early 90s all over again, except with a bigger chin

A late night talk show host from NBC bashing NBC as executives work behind the scenes to get rid of him and hire someone else… Leno did it to Letterman in ‘92-‘93.. Now he is being forced to take it on the chin himself as he’s being edged out in place of Fallon on the TONIGHT SHOW..

And with that, TONIGHT will be back in New York City…

It feels like the early 90s all over again, except with a bigger chin

A new 21st century late shift coming? Rumors abound that Jay Leno will be out at the TONIGHT SHOW with Jimmy Fallon replacing him.. In my opinion, it's time for a female to host a late night talk show.. I have some thoughts. CHELSEA HANDLER FOR LATE NIGHT!

And replacing Jimmy Fallon on LATE NIGHT: David Letterman. Just kidding.

Actually.. I think it’s time for a woman to take over some air time on late night TV.. And no, not Oprah. I think the best choice for the future of late night would be Chelsea Handler. I am serious about that. She would bring a creative feeling to late night—and if she’s put into the Fallon slot, she would be able to continue her irreverent style of comedy.. 

Leno has grown extremely stale. So has Letterman—anyone who is still a David Letterman fan is only one for two reasons: 1) They were fans since the Late Night days and 2) out of respect because of his late night days. 

As for Fallon? I’ve never been overly fond of him.. 

But Chelsea Handler can re-invigorate late night TV.

And for God’s sake, isn’t it time that corporate executives try to bring a female into the fold of TV show history? I say yes.

A new 21st century late shift coming? Rumors abound that Jay Leno will be out at the TONIGHT SHOW with Jimmy Fallon replacing him.. In my opinion, it's time for a female to host a late night talk show.. I have some thoughts. CHELSEA HANDLER FOR LATE NIGHT!