Trouble for Struggling Jay Leno Show

Jay Leno was off to a strong ratings start the first week with his new show in September and was lucky to have Kanye West as his first night's guest after the firestorm of controversy with Taylor Swift at the VMA's. But subsequent ratings for the 10 p.m. program have dropped by more than a third and is becoming an increasing problem for many of the 200 local NBC affiliates. First Lady Michelle Obama's appearance last Friday night didn't help much, only giving Leno a small bump from his lowest ratings of the season the week before.

The Chicago Tribune reported that the Leno Show may be dropped by some affiliates who perceive it to be a weak lead-in to their local news at 11:00 P.M. Up to a third of local stations' revenue comes from their late night newscasts. In addition to the possibility of affiliate defections, Leno's show is being boycotted by ABC and CBS who do not want their actors to guest on the show to compete with their own 10 p.m. programming. And according to the Tribune, "Many in Hollywood have been quietly rooting for the demise of Leno's new show. There has been considerable hand-wringing because the talk and comedy show has eliminated hundreds of jobs for writers and cast and crew members who might otherwise been employed in the production of five one-hour series." (FOX and HBO have welcomed the new show and encouraged their casts to appear there.)

Jay Leno's real problem may be that he left the successful "Tonight Show" for a retread version of his old program. The first night's show was terribly awkward and there appeared to be more than a drop of "flop sweat" on Leno's brow. New shows rarely slip into an early groove. Jimmy Fallon's first night was uncomfortable, especially with the notoriously tight-lipped Robert DeNiro as his first guest. Even Conan O'Brien's first few weeks as host of "Late Night" were not easy to watch. But they were novices. Jay Leno had been doing "The Tonight Show" for 17 years, sitting confidently behind that ubiquitous desk. But now the desk is gone and the set designers didn't do him any favors by putting him in a pseudo hotel lobby with two uncomfortable-looking chairs. The humor seems more forced now and Leno himself appears to be less than enthusiastic about the new format. Leno looks tired and overdue for a haircut. He's only himself during the monologue and "Headlines," which are carryovers from "Tonight ." It makes Johnny Carson's decision to completely retire from public life after he left "The Tonight Show" after 30 years, an exceptionally wise one.

For now, NBC is standing by its 10 o'clock, five night a week gamble, hoping that the show finds its audience, trusting that they haven't made a mistake by banking on Leno to help save the finances and the future of the struggling third-place network.

Jay Leno just seems to be like that guy at the party, straining to keep the fun going when everyone else just wants to go home.

Sources: Chicago Tribune
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