What Is Behind Kevin Eubanks' Split From Jay Leno?

By Denise Warner Posted Feb 17th 2010 10:00AM

Kevin Eubanks plans to part ways from Jay Leno. But why does he want to quit now? Is it because of the ratings struggle that left Conan O'Brien out of a job and killed Leno's image?

Eubanks has been with Leno since 1992 and has led the band -- first 'The Tonight Show' band and then the Primetime Band when Jay moved to the short-lived 10 PM show -- since 1995.

Although the jazz guitarist plans to return with Leno to 'The Tonight Show' on March 1, he ultimately wants to leave the series. "Kevin has expressed interest in pursuing personal touring and recording opportunities," an NBC source told Inside TV.

We don't really believe this. In his wishes, Eubanks sounds like a politician -- he needs "a change," so he's moving on. But like a politician, in most matters, Eubanks must have an ulterior motive.

When Conan O'Brien took over 'The Tonight Show' in 2009, Jay Leno moved to primetime with 'The Jay Leno Show.' But bad ratings from both O'Brien and Leno lead NBC to cancel Jay's show and announce they were moving Leno back to 11:35, pushing Conan's 'Tonight' to 12:05 AM.

Unhappy with the turn of events, O'Brien negotiated a deal to exit the network, lambasting Leno along the way. "And I just want to say to the kids out there watching -- you can do anything you want in life, unless Jay Leno wants to do it too," Conan said during one of his last monologues.

Everyone turned on Leno -- from critics to his peers alike, blaming the funnyman for ousting O'Brien, even though NBC pulled the strings. Perhaps Eubanks doesn't want to be associated with Jay now that he is a television pariah.

Kevin may want to stay away from Leno, since he looks like the bad guy who left poor, defenseless Coco out of a job. Perhaps the bandleader fears a waning audience and ultimate cancellation, leaving him looking for work. This way, he goes out on his own terms.

Max Weinberg, O'Brien's bandleader, often tours with Bruce Springsteen and the E-Street Band and has arranged to work both jobs. Even when Weinberg uprooted to the West Coast, his schedule was organized so that he could make as many dates as possible -- with his son taking over on drums for Springsteen when he couldn't.

If Eubanks' only goal was to tour and record, couldn't a similar arrangement be made if he wanted to stick with Jay? In a word? Yes.

Furthermore, the musician has put out 12 albums since 1992, all while presumably being employed with Leno. Eubanks has also appeared on other TV shows and gone on tour during his 'Tonight Show' tenure. Therefore, we must assume he wants out because he no longer wants to be the sidekick to the "evil" Leno -- not simply to pursue other opportunities.

Eubanks probably no longer wants to be known as "the guy with the guitar who laughs at everything," as he was dubbed by David Letterman during the recent late night struggle. Maybe he's just sick of being lumped in with Leno.

And what will Jay do next? It seems that no one would want to be associated with Leno's bad karma, which could leave him without a bandleader. (And without anyone to laugh at his sometimes stale monologues -- as Kevin could always be counted on to do.)

Of course, Leno could always steal The Roots from Jimmy Fallon. Problem solved.

Tags: conan obrien, david letterman, jay leno, kevin eubanks

Comments

(357)

Wednesday 17 February

By CarverHennepin

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POPEATER COULDN'T FIND THEIR BUTT WITH BOTH HANDS. THIS STORY HAS BEEN UP FOR 4 HOURS, AND GOT 26 POSTS. MAYBE SOMEBODY SHOULD PULL THE PLUG ON POPEATER......

By Paul Bergerot

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I can’t believe how people just read the stuff on the internet about The Jay Leno, Conan, NBC mess, and just believe it, and don’t spend 1 nanosecond trying to use their own heads, and ask why this happened. When I look at polls and see that people view Conan as the least responsible for the debacle that has taken the world by storm, I wonder, “Is it just me? Or are these people missing something and not asking the most obvious question”, With Jay at number one at 11:35 and Conan at number one at 12:35, why would NBC try to fix something that wasn’t broken, unless they thought somehow it was going to break? Why would they worry that Conan was going to leave considering he was number one in his time slot? Ok, maybe they heard that Fox or ABC were looking at him, but that could have been EASILY fixed by matching whatever money they were offering to him. BINGO! He gets more money, he stays at NBC, number one in his time slot, Conan doesn’t have to gamble with a totally new show. Everyone is happy, right? Wrong! Not if Conan will only stay unless he gets The Tonight Show. That’s where this whole thing started, and it’s where it ended. First time around, NBC crumbled to Conan. Second time around, when Conan said he wouldn’t “damage the franchise” by moving to 12:05, NBC called his bluff and said “Go ahead, leave”
Lastly, why would NBC pay off Conan and let him go, and not Jay? Assuming of course that Conan is such an asset. Seems to me that it’s a no brainer if NBC believed Conan could make them more money than Jay. There’s nothing wrong with Jay, he likes to work, and he took a job. And, when he said he was going to retire? “I’m retiring”, sounds a lot better than “I’m being forced out”

By jradio22man

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SCREW EM!!!!!!! LETTERMAN IS DA MAN

By guy King

Sorry, kiddo. Leno is not a pariah, has not lost his karma jokes are no more stale than Letterman's oft-re-hashed one-liners or O'Briens stupid stuff. Keven was not much of an addition, anyway and needs to go find something worth doing.

By chas9420

kevin adds nothing to the show ,other than music. Jay is better off without him

By JR

Well at least we know one thing this guy WONT end up at FOX because they don't hire or like the black folks

By RB

Kick Kevin to the curb..just not funny and not needed.

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By Jackie

Leno may have acted like a jerk... but... Conan O'Brien is not now, nor as far as I can remember, the least bit funny or entertaining.. everyone I know had the same response when Leno announced that O'Brien would replace him on the Tonight Show...
"WHY..." We will give Leno a chance... but it is very easy to change channels if we want to....

By Keith

Kevin Eubanks had simply "banked" enough to keep him content. No need to read further into this. He probably figures he has enough "crop" money to sit back and relax a bit. Can't blame him for that. :)

By rb

Not funny and marginally talented..cut him loose and the broad too!

By bob

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actually heard " Kevin " is HIV positive from all those hoes he slept with over the years due to his fame on the tonight show and its being kiept under raps hes leaving the show to get treatment like magic johnson

By Rox

Kevin is a class act; great jazz guitarist. His talent has not, was not recognized stunping for old JL. I wish him lots of succes. You go Kevin!!!

By mwlx

Pathetic attempt to create a controversy. The man's been doing it for 15 years. Let him do something else without making up a story. Ridiculous!

By Steve

Anyone who has had a job in their life gets tired of it. Stop reading so much into this. Denise Warner is creating something that is probably not there. Get a real job!

By Michael

This is obiviously writtern by someone who is not a Jay Leno fan.
Jay does not have enough power to get Conan fired. Conan was paid off by NBC because he did not get the audience he was supposed to get and NBC dumped him. There is no way Jay could have conspired to make sure enough viewers did not tune to Conan. As for Jay taking Conan's job, isn't it the other way round?

By rdyoungsc

If Jay can be blamed for having Conan kicked off the Tonight show, can Conan not be blamed for having Jay moved to "prime time" 6 months ago?

By Tena

I really hate when writers speculate about a person's career choices. Unlike Paul Schaffer, maybe Kevin Eubanks wants to move on. Most true musicians want to record, tour, or just do something different. I say, good for Kevin!

Although I love seeing him on Leno and will hate to see him go, I wish him the best.

By Songstress

It is very hard for musicians - even well known - to make easy money these days...he is definitely leaving for "other" reasons.

By Maria

I think NBC may be getting rid of Eubanks instead of him "choosing" to leave.

I never liked Eubanks as part of the Tonight Show nor do I feel he added anything of consequence to the show, so anyone they choose will be better in my opinion.

The Tonight Show with Jay Leno has to offer something a little different this time around. It has to have some sort of newness about it and it would make sense that a new bandleader, which has always been an integral part of the Tonight Show even with Carson, will be the change.

Glad to have Leno back!

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