Jay Leno's Losing the Kids, but Dave Is Still Behind

By PopEater Staff Posted Sep 3rd 2010 02:00PM

Jay Leno is still the king of late night TV, but he's not scoring the kinds of ratings that matter most to the networks.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, this summer, 'The Tonight Show with Jay Leno' pulled in its worst ratings on record among the coveted-by-advertisers 18-49 demographic, while still gaining more overall viewers than last summer.

Meanwhile, David Letterman still can't beat his nemesis -- even with Leno off his game. The 'Late Show' funnyman has fallen behind "The Chin" by a 22 percent margin this season.

Most importantly for NBC's ego, however, is that Leno is still beating Conan O'Brien's total audience numbers from last year by a 12 percent margin, averaging 3.8 million viewers to Conan's 3.4 million.

Naturally, NBC contends that the numbers will be fine in the long run.

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Jay Leno Snapshots

Jay Leno speaks during the panel for "The Jay Leno Show" at the NBC Universal Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, Calif. More Photos >>

Jay Leno Snapshots

FILE - In this March 19, 2009 file photo, host Jay Leno is shown on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, file)

Jay Leno Snapshots

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2009 file photo, Jay Leno speaks during the panel for "The Jay Leno Show" at the NBC Universal Television Critics Association summer press tour in Pasadena, Calif. NBC Universal Television Entertainment Chairman Jeff Gaspin on Sunday, Jan. 10, 2010 said that Leno's nightly prime-time show will end with the beginning of the Winter Olympics on Feb. 12. (AP Photo/Matt Sayles, file)

Jay Leno Snapshots

FILE - In this March 19, 2009 file photo, host Jay Leno is shown on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in Burbank, Calif. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, file)

Jay Leno Snapshots

Tags: conan obrien, david letterman, jay leno

Comments

(15)

Friday 03 September

By sandy-jack

Lowest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Leno is stale and only old people watch him. So congrats Jay. As for Letterman, he has interesting guests on his show and find it entertaining. Letterman's stand-up is not funny.

Hope Conan gets edgier like Jon Stewart and Colbert.

By Mike

Highest Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Craig Ferguson beats them both.

By mole

Glad to see someone is hip to Craig-- he puts them all to shame.
As for Jay used to watch him untill he got to lazy to do skits and started bringing on dbags like that flamer Ross.

By Fred

Vote down Vote up Report this

Seriously, who is Craig Ferguson?

By David

I loved Ferguson until his show deteriorated into focusing on the crotch in his monologues & interviews.

By jay

I LIKE JAY BUT ITS TIME TOO MOVE ON HIM AND DENIS GAGE WOULD MAKE GREAT CAR SHOW HOSTS AT JAYS SHOP

By jv

CARSON WAS THE BEST JAY IS todays Best Dont stay up late for jimmy F COANANS a WIERD JERK never liked him hes never funny

By Ben from Baltimore

High Rank Vote down Vote up Report this

Jay is funny, but I could never stand Conan. His actions that he did with his hands made me always wonder if he needed help. He is probably losing the kids because kids don't seem to like old people anymore, they think that they belong in an old folks home collecting Social Security retirement benefits, with Betty White being the exception to the rule. People pick on CBS News 60 Minutes' Andy Rooney all the time over at Youtube. They think that internet anonymity makes them invincible. People don't seem to want to respect their elders anymore.

By luvfarve

FERGUSON HAS THEM BOTH BEAT AND HE LOVES AMERICA AND HE'S FUNNY, TOO. AND HE HAS TALENT AT STAND UP AND HE CAN PLAY WITH ANIMALS AND MAKE PEOPLE LAUGH AND IS SO 2000-ISH. AND HE IS HANDSOME AND MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN LIKE HIM.

AND HE THINKS IT'S A GREAT DAY FOR AMERICA.

GOOD BYE DAVE

By B

David Letterman will always be my favorite. I can't respect Jay Leno anymore after the whole shenanigans with Conan went down. He just doesn't seem like a genuinely "nice" person anymore to me.

By Chili Challis

Worked for Leno as a staff writer and have friends that wrote for Conan and Letterman. It's a tough nut this late night talk show thing. Conan, Letterman, and Leno are exceptional people and of course Jay gave me my biggest break to join the staff in the 90's -00's. I will maintain watching all three, I can't wait to see what Conan has cooked up when he rejoins the cast of fiery and funny late night people. And let's hear it for the Colbert Report and The Daily Show! Annnnnd Bill Maher of course...what a funny and informative show!

By Patti

I watch Jay, Letterman is not funny and Conan was terrible.
I like Jimmy Fallon, I think he is funny. Enjoyed him on the Emmy's.

Jay is not funny & is a terrible interviewer. His approach is so contrived as if everything he does is determined by a focus group.
I think he looked pretty desperate & manipulative in the situation with Conan & I'm no Conan fan.
I'd appreciate him more if he'd just do a car show.

By Barbara

Loved Conan & miss him a lot this summer-he made me laugh out loud. The other guys are done-Jimmy Fallon is very good too-I am 57.

Sunday 05 September

By Maxi

Always perfered Jay over Dave, never like Conan (He, like Dave is just stupid and juvenile). But stopped watching Jay, He has such lame guests, no A-listers, are they boycotting his show? His heart does not seem in it since Kevin left.

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