# Tonight Show: Staff Layoffs, Leno Pay Cut



## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

> "Tonight Show" host Jay Leno is taking a significant reduction in pay and roughly two dozen staffers are being let go as part of a major budget restructuring at the late-night talk show.
> 
> Although "The Tonight Show" remains the top-rated late-night program, from a financial standpoint it is only break-even, according to a person familiar with the economics of the show. One reason for that is that the production budget of the show was not reduced when Leno moved back to late night after his ill-fated stint in prime time during the 2009-10 television season.


http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-lenocuts-20120818,0,1772989.story


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## runner861 (Mar 20, 2010)

Another who cares story for those of us who live in the real world. Besides, the show never was the same after Kevin Eubanks left and the show moved back to late night. I think that its time has come and gone. It passed its heyday years ago.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

runner861 said:


> Another who cares story for those of us who live in the real world. Besides, the show never was the same after Kevin Eubanks left and the show moved back to late night. I think that its time has come and gone. It passed its heyday years ago.


That would explain why "The Tonight Show" remains the top-rated late-night program.

Now if Letterman would go away, I'd be happy.


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## armophob (Nov 13, 2006)

Sorry to hear Jay has died. He was a very good man even given his lack of entertainment ratings value to the network.
Eat **** John Stewart and David Letterman for your inconsiderate blog posts.

It sucks that this guy is your future and your past


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

I haven't found anything written by Jon Stewart or Dave Letterman...source?


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

So Leno agreed to a $10M salary cut to help save jobs, but they still let 20 to 25 people go. How over staffed was his show that they could let that many go? I will say it was nice if it is true that he offered to take a pay cut to help keep his staff. IIRC he also was paying some of his staff out of his own pocket back during the writers strike. Too bad there aren't more bosses around like that that try to give to the workers vs. trying to figure out how to take from them.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

And since he's so wildly overpaid and clearly doesn't need the money, he could easily give up another $10M.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

SayWhat? said:


> And since he's so wildly overpaid and clearly doesn't need the money, he could easily give up another $10M.


Actually he probably could. I saw in another story that he basically just banks is money from the Tonight Show and lives off the money from his road shows.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

armophob said:


> Sorry to hear Jay has died. He was a very good man even given his lack of entertainment ratings value to the network.
> Eat **** John Stewart and David Letterman for your inconsiderate blog posts.


Good heavens has Letterman become a boor. Used to like him on Late, Late or whatever it was called years ago, but he is the most class-less host with experience. (hence leaving out Kimmel and others.)


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

RAD said:


> Actually he probably could. I saw in another story that he basically just banks is money from the Tonight Show and lives off the money from his road shows.


Pretty much. That has been a philosophy of his for his entire life. He's said that growing up, he worked two jobs, one for spending money and one for saving.

I know he was appreciated in Wilmington when he put on free shows there. The area was hit hard when their biggest employer shut down, and it gave them at least a few hours of humor and escape.


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## TXD16 (Oct 30, 2008)

runner861 said:


> Another who cares story for those of us who live in the real world. Besides, the show never was the same after Kevin Eubanks left...


The Tonight Show hasn't been the same since Carson left.


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## Nick (Apr 23, 2002)

zkc16 said:


> The Tonight Show hasn't been the same since Carson left.


 :scratch:

Of course it hasn't been the same -- Leno is a different guy. Did you mean that, in your opinion, the 'Tonight Show' hasn't been as good since Carson retired?


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

> NEW YORK (TheWrap.com) - Jay Leno used his first "Tonight Show" monologue since layoffs at the show to blame NBC and corporate parent Comcast for the job losses.
> 
> "Welcome to 'The Tonight Show,' or as Comcast calls us, 'The Expendables,'" he said Monday.
> 
> ...


http://www.chicagotribune.com/enter...how-layoffsbre87k0up-20120821,0,2371923.story


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## runner861 (Mar 20, 2010)

zkc16 said:


> The Tonight Show hasn't been the same since Carson left.


I agree. Actually, I thought about saying the same thing, but 1992 is a long time ago and I didn't think that many people would remember.

Actually, I don't think that the show has regained the ratings it had prior to the 2010 Conan O'Brien situation, although it still may be number one in its time slot. But in my opinion the show jumped the shark when Kevin Eubanks left.


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## Galaxie6411 (Aug 26, 2007)

Never understood who still watched these shows, seems to me the ratings are so low it would be better to just show reruns after the local news. Not sure if most people don't realize or just don't care that the only reason a celeb does these is for the plug, but the same goes for the TMZ stories/hype those are also for the plugs before a movie, book, tv show or record comes out. Beiber just happens to slap a photog before a tour, Lohan just happens to make a scene in a hotel while filming a new movie, Olivia Munn's phone was "hacked" right before a new show, give me a break. It is the best free publicity they could have and people lap it up.

I might be wrong but I have heard in the "old days" celeb's would actually just show up to a Carson, Paar or Allen show for no reason other than to just be on the show from time to time, I guarantee you that never happens today.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"zkc16" said:


> The Tonight Show hasn't been the same since Carson left.


I wish I could have seen more of his show. I was a fan of Doc as well.


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## SayWhat? (Jun 7, 2009)

dpeters11 said:


> I wish I could have seen more of his show.


Heeeeeeeeeeeere you go!

http://www.amazon.com/Heeeres-Johnn...1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1345595369&sr=1-3

http://www.amazon.com/Carson-Collec...1_4?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1345595369&sr=1-4


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"SayWhat?" said:


> Heeeeeeeeeeeere you go!
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Heeeres-Johnny-Definitive-Collection-starring/dp/B000UFIYQ2/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1345595369&sr=1-3
> 
> http://www.amazon.com/Carson-Collection-Favorite-Moments-1962-1992/dp/B000068WS6/ref=sr_1_4?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1345595369&sr=1-4


I knew it was on video, just not the same somehow.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

Galaxie6411 said:


> Never understood who still watched these shows, seems to me the ratings are so low it would be better to just show reruns after the local news. Not sure if most people don't realize or just don't care that the only reason a celeb does these is for the plug, but the same goes for the TMZ stories/hype those are also for the plugs before a movie, book, tv show or record comes out. Beiber just happens to slap a photog before a tour, Lohan just happens to make a scene in a hotel while filming a new movie, Olivia Munn's phone was "hacked" right before a new show, give me a break. It is the best free publicity they could have and people lap it up.
> 
> I might be wrong but I have heard in the "old days" celeb's would actually just show up to a Carson, Paar or Allen show for no reason other than to just be on the show from time to time, I guarantee you that never happens today.


Well, I watch Leno every day he's on. Sometimes the next day, always recorded. His opening monologue is almost always well written and deftly presented. I like many of his skits. Very few guests are of interest, and a lot are clearly "suggested" by the network, promoting other NBC network shows in an Oh-so-subtle way..... But it's always recorded, and the FF goes to near the end, where sometimes there's a new standup who's clever and funny.

The days of Carson, Paar and Allen are long gone.


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## john262 (Oct 26, 2011)

TBoneit said:


> That would explain why "The Tonight Show" remains the top-rated late-night program.
> 
> Now if Letterman would go away, I'd be happy.


No, actually Nightline beats the Tonight Show in the ratings.


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## Laxguy (Dec 2, 2010)

john262 said:


> No, actually Nightline beats the Tonight Show in the ratings.


Other than an Esquire article, can you cite specifics?


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