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.”

ONCE AGAIN, THE COAL SPEAKER IS AHEAD OF THE CURVE!

Are you reading my website, LES MOONVES?

I was shocked tonight to see a story making the rounds saying that Chelsea Handler is in talks to be the next host of a late night show as David Letterman plans his exit from the network—maybe not Letterman’s slot, but something.

The reason for my surprise: In March 2013 I nominated Chelsea Handler for late night! That’s right.. I voted my confidence in her to host a show and said she should be considered for Leno’s then soon to be open position instead of Jimmy Fallon.

And I cannot believe March 2013 is already beyond a year ago… 

I wrote this in 2013:

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.. 

She didn’t get Fallon’s. She may get Letterman’s.

What I wrote in 2013 still applies in ‘14.. She’s primed, she’s rested. And ready.

Is America?

Piers Morgan wasn’t.
And that’s another reason she gets my vote.

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

THAT’S ABOUT ALL FOLKS..

Seems like pretty big news here.. David Letterman is going to retire in 2015..

Chelsea Handler may be leaving E! after her contract expires

I have noticed that so many either love or hate her.. there’s no middle ground.

My take is that she is hardcore mean and nasty, but I always laugh even if I tune in for just a minute.

But if this story is true, you won’t have her to kick around anymore…

Paging Lisa Lampanelli! You may be next.

Chelsea Handler may be leaving E! after her contract expires

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

A theory from a friend on why NBC doesn't care about Jay Leno's ratings: They just don't like him

I received an email last night from a good friend and fellow blogger CINEMA PYSCHO *(check his site out*) about my Jay Leno post.. and he’s right on the money.. Hollywood hates Leno and NBC does too. It goes back to bad blood in the early 1990s.. And he was right when he said Leno would screw over his grandmother for extra money and his audience wouldn’t realize what the real Jay is like behind the curtain. I agree with all of that.. But even with that all being said, I still find it pretty amazing that NBC is letting him go with such high ratings.. it’s a money game and a numbers game.. and Leno is bringing them their bling—regardless of how horrible of a person he may be..

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..

NBC’s Rising Leno Dominates Kimmel and Letterman

So.. Think NBC will regret letting Leno go? He certainly has worked for them since about 1995 when Letterman changed his style and started the ratings dive…
I still say late night television was ready for a female comedy host. They missed their chance..
Chelsea Handler or Tina Fey would have been spot on..
Instead they are stuck with Jimmy Fallon… I think they’ll regret it.
(Though this is also a good chance for Arsenio Hall, who is throwing himself back into the ring)… Yes it feels like 1993 all over again..

NBC’s Rising Leno Dominates Kimmel and Letterman

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M65Dx0STe2M?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=281]

Never noticed until now, but apparently David Letterman likes drums. Like a lot..

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

NBC names SNL’s Seth Meyers as new host of ‘Late night’ when Jimmy Fallon takes over ‘The Tonight Show’ in 2014

Bad idea in my opinion.. Late night needs a female.. Why don’t networks get this?

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!?

30 years on air for David Letterman. He is an institution of comedy..

I’d be remiss if I didn’t say how important he has been in my life. I remember vaguely watching him as a kid (age 3 and 4 and maybe 5) .. I remember vividly watching him as a grade school kid and high schooler.. I repeated his jokes the next day because I knew no other kids stayed up that late …

I don’t watch much now,  though. Can’t say the show is nearly as imaginative as it once was.. or cutting edge. Or new and fresh. But 30 years on air in some capacity is meaningful and amazing. He is a legend of our time just as Carson was for the previous…

But I leave you tonight with this question.. did David Letterman perfect late night sarcasm or, by being so good at it, destroy the ability for anyone else to be sarcastic?

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4HJAm0xrF0?feature=oembed&enablejsapi=1&origin=http://safe.txmblr.com&wmode=opaque&w=500&h=374]

A blast from the past! So happy I came across this little memory of the late 90s glory of LATE NIGHT WITH CONAN O’BRIEN and the guy who had bullet proof legs..

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

It’s been a while since I saw this — but distinctly remember how funny it was the first time I did .. I am starting my weekend with Preparation H Raymond, and I hope you do too

Sigh

I didn’t like the NIGHTLINE story one bit about the rash of bird and fish deaths.

The previews of the show made it look like they were going to take the strange activities seriously. Instead what we got was a mocking story about how conspiracy nuts are blaming HAARP and nothing bad really is happening.

Ok, fair enough. There may be scientific evidence that backs up the notion that nothing bad is happening. And for God’s sake, I am having a child this year, so a bad thing happening is the last thing I want to have happen!

But I also think some rather strange things are occurring. Arguably, thousands of birds dying around the globe at one time, along with potentially … millions? *how many fish in a ton?* fish dead around earth, are things that people should think a little deeper about than just ignoring with a dismissive tone..

NIGHTLINE’s story may as well have not been aired. Instead of making fun of people who think the end of the world is coming, maybe it would have been more beneficial to ask questions over what we are 1) doing to our environment, 2) what the Gulf oil spill did to the Gulfstream, and 3) what pollution could potentially be doing to harm the earth.

But I guess serious stuff isn’t funny. After all NIGHTLINE is competing with Leno and Letterman..