What you might not know about America’s late night Talk Shows

If you ever wondered why they are so similar, here is the pitch!

First of all, the “Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, which has been on for 3 decades, in 1992 was replaced by Jay Leno’s Tonight’s Show. After 30 years of entertaining the general viewers comedian Johnny Carson retired. Too bad the trademark line announcement didn’t stick- “Heeeeere’s Jaaayyyy Leeeno!”
However, Carson’s original replacement should have been David Letterman, the host of the original Late Night Show, who later on resigned his Late Night Show and signed a contract with CBS to run a talk show opposite of the Tonight Show, he called “Late Show with David Letterman”
Late Night than was taken over by Conan O’Brien and has started broadcasting on NBC in 1993. Conan was not much of a fan in the beginning, thus NBC was constantly on the verge or firing him, however could not find a quality replacement.
Now after sixteen years of great bouncy hair-ness and Conan being precariously hilarious, he has signed a contract to step down as the host of the Late Night Show. His successor of course, is Jimmy Fallon, in which case can shape and form his own special Late Night. Thus, his version of Late Night is scheduled to start March 2nd of 2009.
Now, where is Conan going?

According to Conan himself, in his January 28th show:

“… we here in the late night show are moving on, …we are opening a furniture store in St. Louis. I thought it was time, and there’s money in furniture I am told…”-Conan O’Brien.

However, the real truth is, Conan is leaving the East Coast, to live in sunny Los Angeles. There, he will be taking over the Tonight’s Show from Jay Leno.
Leno’s last show is scheduled to run May 29th, 2009. Conan’s first Tonight show will air Monday, June 1st, 2009.
So then where is Jay Leno going?- Long tropical vacation in the Caribbean?
Not in this economy, I suppose.
Jay Leno started a contract with NBC to present a new late night talk show called the “Jay Leno Show” expected to debut in the fall of 2009.

After tremendous shuffling amongst hosts and broadcasting companies, these Late Night Gents hopefully will find their place in the correct time of night, once again. And with each of them and their charismatic appeal, we still get to watch our favorite Talk Show, either being the “Late Night” Tonight’s Show”, OR “Late Show”

To Jay Leno, who is branching out on his own just like Letterman did in 1993, and to Conan O’Brien, good luck in LA.
All three talk shows, well, now four… even though so similar and closely knit, have gone through significant rivalry in the ratings and viewers interests in the past decades. Although, all as equally entertaining, they do mark a joyous shared interest.