Just when you think David Letterman couldn't get any more fired up about his nemesis Jay Leno and the current 'Tonight'-gate debacle over at NBC, the 'Late Show' host comes out and unloads another massive anti-Jay manifesto for the world to see. On Tuesday, Dave responded to Jay's "Don't Blame Conan" statement with a heated and harsh statement of his own, calling Leno "phony" and saying that nobody in the world is blaming Conan for the current situation. Watch the Carnage Below:Dave Letterman Mauls Jay Leno, NBC; 'Don't Blame Conan!' He Pleads
By Mike Hess Posted Jan 20th 2010 11:37AM
Just when you think David Letterman couldn't get any more fired up about his nemesis Jay Leno and the current 'Tonight'-gate debacle over at NBC, the 'Late Show' host comes out and unloads another massive anti-Jay manifesto for the world to see. On Tuesday, Dave responded to Jay's "Don't Blame Conan" statement with a heated and harsh statement of his own, calling Leno "phony" and saying that nobody in the world is blaming Conan for the current situation. Watch the Carnage Below:It seemed like Dave would stay mum on the issue for the most part, taking a few jabs at Leno and NBC in his monologue, but it wasn't until he sat down at his desk that the real vitriol began to flow.
"Every day I wake up and I say I'm going to keep my mouth shut about this NBC 'Tonight Show' thing because, honestly folks, I don't have a dog in this fight. But here's the deal. I've known Jay Leno for 35 years ... a long, long time. We used to buddy around in the old days, and what we're seeing now is vintage Jay, and it's enjoyable for me to see this," Letterman said.
Letterman said: "I just thought I'd keep my mouth shut because Lord knows I got my own problems, but I just can't help myself. And while it's true I don't specifically have a dog in this fight, I think in some way I and Paul are responsible for the mess ... because of the big stink we created when we left NBC years ago, they said 'Oh, that'll never happen again.'" He then went on to cite how Jay should have simply gone to a different network like Letterman did, and all of this would have been avoided.
He then went on to reference Leno's Monday night statement directly.
"So last night, Jay gave his state of the network speech, and he said that we should not blame Conan for what's going on. And I said to myself, 'No one is blaming Conan.' He further elucidated that who we should actually blame is Conan's agents and managers ... and then Jay pointed out that he himself has no agent or manager. So I'm begging you, ladies and gentlemen, please don't blame Conan. I know a lot of you people think Conan pushed himself out of a job. He's not that kind of guy. He would never do that to himself," Letterman joked to roaring applause. "In the thousands and thousands of words printed about this mess, who has blamed Conan? No one! No one has blamed Conan!"
Letterman insists further that Jay is in the wrong for not jumping to a new network when he gave up the 'Tonight' throne. "It's just part of evolution. You get fired and get another gig. Don't hang around waiting for somebody to drop dead," he joked.
"Well I feel I've gone too far yet again tonight," he said as he closed out his rant.
Prior to the Leno lashing, Letterman ran a fake commercial for the new 'Tonight Show,' in which he joked that key elements of Jay's show -- "the phony handshakes, the guy with the guitar who laughs at everything, the bit he stole from Letterman's late-night show, the bit he stole from Howard Stern, the announcer he stole from Howard Stern" -- would all be included in the new 'Tonight Show. Watch it below!
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The article reads: "..... "Letterman said: "I just thought I'd keep my mouth shut because Lord knows I got my own problems, but I just can't help myself...."" &&&&& You ARE right Letterman, you SHOULD keep your mouth shut, and you SHOULD try to "help" yourself. Nice way to deflect negative press on your own personal issues, a**hole.
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Only a idiot would get that out of the ariticle. Dave and Conan are more man than you`ll ever be you moron.
Just more sour grapes from a sour old man with a dying show of his own. You would think Letterman would have gotten over being the odd man out way back when with NBC. But I guess the man really holds a grudge, even after he's proven HIMSELF more than human with his sexual harassment foibles. The temptation to kick someone while their attention is otherwise occupied is just to great for this little old man.
Letterman is a low life and worse yet he isn't vwry funny
I am not to crazy about Conan the horribe either but I wouldn't mind if they put him in Lettermans spot and dumped letterman .
OK Letterman, I think you are venting a little to much , always be careful, because the things that happened to NBC with Jay & Connan could happen to you. It has not been either Jay's or Connan's fault , where the blame should be focused is NBC. PS, I have been around long enough to know you still have a sour taste from the time Jay got the tonight show and you didn't, so think about it you are walking on thin ice, and another point you are getting old and can always be replaced be replaced and Jay's ratings topped yours.
You know, Dave doesn't have the polish God gave a cow paddy. He has sex with his employees, makes his own child illegitimate, and has essentially a tarnished image all the way around. Probably cheated on his girlfriend now wife with his coworkers. Yet he has anything bad to say about Jay or Conan? Preposterous. Jay and Conan have more class than Dave any day of the week. Personally, I don't like Conan's style and that may be why he is lagging in the ratings, but it has nothing to do with a 5 year old decision and everything to do with talent. Dave is right about one thing, though. Jay should go to other networks and get hired. It would serve NBC right.
Yea, you are right. Letterman is a douce bag. (french for king of the tools among other things...) But late night tv is suppose to be funny and you have to give letterman credit for being hillarious. He wears his philandering on his sleeve and does not try to blame anybody else. And his dings and now dents on leno are priceless.
You are so right. Letterman's show sucks. He is a useless old leacherous fool. He is just upset that Jay will return to the 11:30 PM time slot and nobody will watch the Letterman show anymore. CBS, why don't you pull the plug on this old pervert.
Well, Mr. Letterman, your glass house continues to crack, doesn't it? If what you say that you don't have a dog in this fight, then one of your annoying yappin' Yorkie got loose.
Why do you even concern yourself with what going on with NBC?
Oh, I know. You're still bitter because Jay Leno was given the Tonight Show years ago and not you. Makes sense now, doesn't it?
I think David has every right to go after Jay... Jay sure did over the sex stuff with Dave... Looks like Jays glass house has a crack.... But Craig is the best
You are absolutely correct in your assessment of Letterman. I stopped watching his crap on TV long ago. The way he treats people in the name of "humor" is disgusting. He doesn't have a funny bone in his entire body. Anyone showing up on his show as a guest shows a regretable lack of class. Someone with half a mind should pull his loser show off TV. He who lives in a glass house shouldn't be throwing stones at anyone! And I second the a##hole remark.
Personally, I've never been a Leno fan. He's not funny or witty to me. Dave's smarter and more clever. Dave can think on his toes as he did when Senator McCain appeared on the Late Show, and Dave turned into the best journalist I've ever seen. I kind of feel like Leno is the conservative of Late Night. You watch Leno for his traditional humor. Liberals watch Dave for something that's a little more off the wall. Letterman fans like Letterman because he doesn't hold back. He's not affraid to offend people. He's the John Lennon of Late Night. And Leno is the 'Amercian Idol' of Late Night. He's figured out what people want to see, and that's what he gives them. Just one man's opinion.
BOTH LETTRMAN AND CONAN ARE JERKS AND NOT FUNNY AT ALL. LENO LOST HIS FOLLOWING BECAUSE OF THE TIME SLOT THAT NBC PUT IN HIM SO CONAN COULD TAKE OVER THE TONIGHT SHOW. LENO WAS DOING FINE WITH THE TONIGHT SHOW AND THE RATINGS. HE HAD LETTERMAN AND CONAN BEAT. CONAN TAKES OVER AND BECAUSE HE IS A LOSER HE LOSES THE RATINGS. THE WHOLE MESS IS THE FAULT OF NBC MANAGEMENT NOT LENO. CONAN IS GETTING MILLIONS TO BACK OFF SO DON'T FEEL SORRY FOR THE JERK. HE IS LAUGHING HIS WAY TO THE BANK AND JERKING YOU FANS OFF TO BOOT. GROW UP FANS THE MINUTE THE TIMING IS RIGHT LETTERMAN WILL SPIT ON CONAN OR CONAN WILL SPIT ON LETTERMAN. THEY ARE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS.
Letterman is done and over.
Are you Letterman bashers taking your medications? Leno himself decided 5 years ago that he didn't want to host The Tonight Show forever. When Leno's self imposed retirement arrived, NBC panicked, gave him prime time, it bombed. If Leno had any class, he would walk away from NBC, not steal The Tonight Show from Conan. I'd watch Kimmel first, Letterman second, Conan third. Leno is a bit of a snore and a bore.
I agree, RMT! The thing is, Letterman is doing this now, as some sort of preemptive strike, because once Leno is back at the Tonight Show, he will go back to crushing Letterman in the ratings as he always did... And that's more the point -- this whole entire mess is NBC's fault, STARTED BY CONAN! Quite a while ago, Conan threatened NBC, saying he'd leave if he wasn't given the Tonight Show by 2009, so stupid NBC cow-towed to Conan's threats, and FORCED Leno to retire! Leno was the King of Late Night, he was a ratings monster, kicking Letterman's butt for years, but NBC jumps to Conan's demands and forced Leno to retire, and THAT is when all the trouble started! O'Brien was great later at night, but has totally tanked in the ratings at The Tonight Show, (which made Letterman happy, & is why he is being hateful to Leno now, cuz he knows he will stop being on top of the ratings once Leno is back), & because he has tanked in the ratings, NBC wants to bring Leno back, so they can enjoy the ratings again. That is NOT Leno's fault! If Conan hadn't demanded the show in the first place, and if NBC didn't FORCE Leno to retire, then none of this would be happening... I find it so bizarre that ANYONE is blaming Leno for this mess, as the ultimate responsibility is NBC's!!!
Letterman is so funny and so right. Conan did NOTHING WRONG. Jay Leno decided to retire from the Tonight Show and do a small gig at the 10:00pm slot. It failed and because it failed he came out and said, 'If that Tonight Show spot ever opens up I'd love to do it again.' That screwed Conan right there. I feel bad Conan. He got shoved out.
Dave Letterman was right.....Don't hang around in the hallway waiting for a job, go across the street to Fox or ABC and make NBC pay.
I like Leno, but does this remind anyone of the Brett Favre situation over the last few years?
you are an idiot,letterman hasnt had bad press in some time,and is a better man then you and leno put together.remember leno's the one who airs bit's hes stolen from letterman,among many other's,hes a hack,only as funny as his writers and waaaay played out,get a clue and check out late night ch.2 with fergusion maybe youll find out what funny really is,dumb a**
Empty cannons make the most noise don't they. Lettermans show should have been canceled long ago. He thinks he is so much more then he actually is. He obviously can't even keep a vow to his own wife why would anyone even listen to him.
Unfortunately he is just trying to hold on to what he thinks the people want to hear. If Conan ratings were down that much, I am sorry that: as a Network you have to make some choices. Some tougher then the others....although why Leterman remains on is indeed a mystery.
Dave Letterman used to be funny. NOT ANY MORE. He is a liberal big mouth wife cheater that helped get Obama elected. Jay on the other hand is a very nice person. I have met him and talked gto him. Down to earth. He did not help Obama get elected because he has some sense.
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