Many people don't realize that Leno's stand-up, espeially in the '70s and '80s, is VASTLY different from his Tonight Show material. He became corny deliberately, to reach a wider audience. Despite their differences, Letterman has said many times that Leno is the best stand-up he ever saw. This apperance had some good stuff, in my opinion.
Christian Finkbeiner Guy is referring to Rambo II, a tremendously popular right-wing fantasy movie where Rambo symbolically "wins" the Vietnam war, as GENOCIDE. That is way more cutting than anything he's said post-1992 or 93.
Yes, Leno deliberately became a different person to host the Tonight Show. Something Letterman would NEVER do. It was easier for NBC to make Leno do what they wanted.
Are you fucking kidding? He literally started with "have you heard this, have your heard about this?". He hasn't evolved his comedy in 40 years. What a fucking hack. Oh a riff on headline news, don't cut yourself on the edge...
I hate when comics do it. I remember first watching some Louis C.K. shows and then I see he's on Letterman. So I'm like "Oh cool, I wonder what this guy's like in real conversation". Then I see him only doing bits of his shows that I've already seen and I'm like "Dude, seriously?".
i also like both. they were close friends for along time. it is old school standup and Jay is absolutely killing. i've never seen him on this kind of a roll. Brilliant!
Jay Leno is a classic Italian talker - big body language, loud, cannot stop himself from jumping on the littlest cues and out-talk everyone else with amazing amounts of creativities. Count how many times Jay sticked his arm out, and how many times David did.
Leno is just such a beautiful, admirably blunt and articulate man. His wit is just on another level. This man has such a perfect way of saying things that make it so right. Seeing his rants and remarks makes me smile in awe. I'm so glad I've found him today. I'm 20 years old and recently been trying to find the video gem archives from the charming oldies. This has made a good morning
I was in an airplane like dad that Jay Leno describes, the pilot landed in the middle of the Venezuelan plains under a Huge Tree, got off went and had lunch in a little hut near the tree , came back an hour later, and we continued
It's ironic that Leno was Letterman's best guest and both never fully recovered after the rift. They were both in their comic prime here. Leno was never the host Dave was, and Dave lost his most dependable guest. I used to tape all of Leno's appearances on Letterman; it was almost as much a late-night happening as when Don Rickles used to be on Carson.
His comedic style most often seems contrived to me. The joke about the pilot showing the plane to his friends wasn't, and it was a hit... didn't see it coming!
assmane999 I didn't think it was possible for him to actually be funnier on the tonight show given how inconsistent his show was, but this interview is not funny at all.
When I was a kid I recorded this and other times Leno was on Letterman. He was really funny back then and always cracked up Dave. I miss that Jay. "Hermaphrodite clowns throwing anthrax spores at the children".
I did this, too, Stace -- was wondering if I was the only one! I just listened to Leno-on-Letterman spot that I'd re-listened to 100x or more over a two-year span (because I used comedy recordings to help me fall asleep every night). Hadn't heard it in about 40 yrs., yet I knew every word, audience reaction, misspeak, etc. (It was kind of like hearing the Pledge of Allegiance -- not surprising to me that it was so indelibly ingrained in my memory.) Here it is, fwiw: th-cam.com/video/lZZ3DY3x1pE/w-d-xo.html
assmane999 Exactly. But he had ratings that beat everyone else. Dave got screwed with that whole thing. And I think J. Fallon is the new Jay Leno. Both are unfunny, softball asking hacks.
Tim Young Say what you will about Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon, they have both been ratings gold for NBC. Yes, they play it safer than guys like David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, but NBC is (quite understandably) only concerned with how many people tune in. It's not their job to care about the quality of their programming; it's their job to care about the profitability of their programming. The audiences for Letterman and Conan were always more niche audiences; Leno and Fallon are more mainstream with broader appeal. I'm saying that as a big Conan fan.
Daniel Dougan I agree 100%. I wonder sometimes if people just put on NBC while they fall asleep and Jay or Jimmy happen to come on. Neither never make me actually laugh, Dave and Conan and Craig in the past did.
I was in college in the 80's when this first aired and I used to record Letterman on my VHS. I saved this show and must have watched it 30 or 40 times. Leno was hilariously funny. And this was Letterman in his prime....amazing times.
I'm 51 years old, I saw these Leno appearances on Late Night when they were first aired. I still believe this is some of the best entertainment ever aired, so you can imagine my disappointment when Leno was hosting the Tonight Show. Letterman and Leno should have forgotten about someting as lame as hosting a talk show, and become the greatest movie comedy team of all time, just. playing. themselves!
sethosayher >>> I don’t understand why they had to mask the name of the airline. Who the hell cares what airline someone does or doesn’t like? People’s opinions shouldn’t be censored.
humor is never timeless, but this guy was funny back then. I was never a leno fan, but I believe the story that he was the best standup ever back in the day. he kicked jokes ones after the other.
It's a shame they've got a strained relationship. Imagine them both leaving their networks and started their own comedy network, just them two every night in this format. Dave's a damn funny interviewer and Jay can just let his motormouth rip. They'd clean up prime time every evening.
@@RickBeatsWorld Always found it funny that NBC initially offered Letterman a primetime show in an effort to keep him on NBC, years before The Jay Leno Show came on in 2009. Would’ve been interesting to see how that might’ve worked out, although it probably would’ve been a similar situation.
I never saw JAY this funny! I never watched the TONIGHT SHOW when he took over because he was so irritating to watch but here he's really making me laugh!
Never seen Letterman so happy or laugh so genuinely as he does with Leno here. You can see they are really close here. It's a shame what the media did to them.
+Schizoman Have you EVER seen a comedian on a talk show who wasn't always "on"? I never once saw what Robin Williams was REALLY like because he was always in character. Same with Jim Carey. LOL
if watching this now it seems hack to you that's because a bunch of garbage comics saw this live on air and then stole the premises, every hack joke comes from something so good lesser comics can't help but lift it.
I have to say Jay Leno's actually pretty good here. Full of energy and vibe. I guess I can sort of understand why he got the Tonight Show over David Letterman back in the 90s better now.
For sure Leno's material was 99% pre-rehearsed with almost no room for improv; very little chance for Letterman to get a word in edgewise or enhance the jokes. Contrast that style with someone like Teri Garr, who would come on with maybe a story or two to tell, yet she and Letterman could go on for 10 minutes just goofing around, while still being funny. And unrehearsed. That's the kind of comedy that I have respect for, people who think on their feet, with lightning fast repartee that holds one's interest. Still, for what he does, Leno is a master. Me, I prefer the unrehearsed/improv stuff over strictly pre-prepared jokes with punchlines, etc. Whatever floats your boat. Takes some skill to go either way ....
This is when Jay was his funniest. Dave brought out the best in him. Always thought that they'd hug it out in the end. Maybe Conan could bring them together ala Sinatra Martin Lewis Labor Day Telethon.
Jay's comedy is hilarious when he is doing his own material. The writers on the Tonight Show didn't do him any justice. Dave's show was always the best when Leno was on. Their banter was so funny.
Letterman has said repeatedly that Leno is the funniest guy he's ever known. If you think Letterman is not laughing genuinely here, then you don't know much about Letterman.
Jay Leno was very funny in these days as a comedian, but in terms of Late Night Talk Shows, NOTHING was funnier than David Letterman when he was still on NBC. It's not even close.
Leno was such a non-guest here. He treats this as a sit-down standup opportunity. Either he had no clue how to really have a conversation or he was still a product of what his handlers made him. Can you see how even then Letterman knew more about being a talk show host than most since him have learned. Dave was pretty gracious here. I think he somehow knew this was his life, and Leno knew what his was. Leno would have gone to greater heights just staying in standup. He kind of leveled off as a talk show host. Not many comedians have ever made good hosts (**psst! even Drew Carey is no Bob Barker!**). Witness Steve Harvey. Fantastic with comedy, obscure game show host.
Stanley TryHard I think what you're commenting on is the old comic/straight man routine. Believe me, Letterman sets up every joke for him. He knows exactly what he wants.
Big difference in how long they let a guest stay on then as opposed to do your plug and/or engage in silly skit and go in minutes appearances now. Leno is totally robotic/automaton here as now. He comes already in club skit mode...not a trace of a real person except Boston home comment. Where's his New England accent? Someone here said Leno is "relentness". Yes. Always seems to be. The constant need to do club work/car collecting/Tonight Show gigs...almost like if he stops he'll see the real person (which I guess he wouldn't like) so he always has to be 'on' performing & collecting-filling some kind of endless void w/ empty audience adulation & big toys. Letterman was more human/real. Cranky, horny, irritable, snarky, didn't need the false adulation, had a kid, lives in quiet CT. area on w/ends. Vacations in St. Barts often w/family. If Leno like a shark stopped moving-death. I keep reading that Rodney Dangerfield generously gave a lot of gifted comedians their starts & his mentorship-Kinison, Carrey, Schimmel, etc. I found it interesting that of the so so many Rodney helped, that he had nothing to do w/Leno who was a club gadfly then. I'm interpreting it as Rodney could wisely read people & saw Leno was ultimately pure rote BS then & knew what real star/talent power was. And Leno was Shecky Greene redux.
I hate on talk shows when the guest comes out and the host says 'how's it been?' and they ramble on for like 10 minutes uninterrupted, it happens a lot
Letterman hates celebrities that sit there like zombies and think they can get by with just their celebrity status and looks. Leno had an open invitation to appear on Late Night whenever he wanted.
Jay is on fire in this video. This is proof that Letterman should've been given the tonight show. Leno would've been America's great comic if he didn't have to water it down to become corporate. Letterman is great when he's interviewing someone, Leno's talent was being the subject of an interview not the interviewer.
@@assmane999 But Jerry sucked as an actor, too. Didn’t stop his show, he just played an exaggerated version of himself. He was surrounded by better actors, though, and it was a big hit.
CPapadakis because he was one of the best comics of all time back then, you remember Leno from his tonight show days when he sold out and was corny but back then he was one of the best.....
Jesus Christ, young Leno was a stone-cold killer. He hit the ground running, locked-in on the only setting he knows: full-on, pure unmitigated savage beast mode where he relentlessly with extreme prejudice, but without fail proves he is incapable of delivering anything other than the perfect zeroed-in, locked and loaded, one with the universe, state of being that is the spiritual equivalent of a fire in the belly that burns with the raw intensity of a thousand suns and ten crack heads. Hungry 80's road comic Jay has crazy rapid fire, hyperbolic high energy with edgy sharp risky material that is at this date and time over 35 years ago yet so innovatively daring and topically relevant now, it is content that's still ridiculously hip and ahead of its time cutting edge like it was written tomorrow and not over two and a half decades ago. Leno was like an insanely literate, absurdly talented human tornado of high charged comedic sound and fury and machine gun fire rat-a-tat-tat delivery that never loses its verve or crazy wicked irreverent battering ram momentum. Young Leno is a comedic agent of chaos and force of nature manifest destining his way into the zeitgeist of all-timer immortal iconoclasts.
Many people don't realize that Leno's stand-up, espeially in the '70s and '80s, is VASTLY different from his Tonight Show material. He became corny deliberately, to reach a wider audience. Despite their differences, Letterman has said many times that Leno is the best stand-up he ever saw. This apperance had some good stuff, in my opinion.
Christian Finkbeiner Guy is referring to Rambo II, a tremendously popular right-wing fantasy movie where Rambo symbolically "wins" the Vietnam war, as GENOCIDE. That is way more cutting than anything he's said post-1992 or 93.
Yes, Leno deliberately became a different person to host the Tonight Show.
Something Letterman would NEVER do. It was easier for NBC to make Leno do what they wanted.
Are you fucking kidding? He literally started with "have you heard this, have your heard about this?". He hasn't evolved his comedy in 40 years. What a fucking hack. Oh a riff on headline news, don't cut yourself on the edge...
@@michaelkeller5927
…no, he literally didn’t start with that. What are you talking about?
You should see him with Norm McDonald. I read that his top three stand-ups were Norm, Al Franken, and Jim Downey.
he was basicaly doing his stand-up, sitting down.
Actually, a lot of comics on talk shows will do bits of their routine in the interview.
You have obviously never seen a comic on a talkshow before. This is how they do it. Except for Norm of course. Norm actually tells good jokes.
I hate when comics do it. I remember first watching some Louis C.K. shows and then I see he's on Letterman. So I'm like "Oh cool, I wonder what this guy's like in real conversation". Then I see him only doing bits of his shows that I've already seen and I'm like "Dude, seriously?".
well, it's still a tv show, if you want to talk to Louis, give him a call... don't be surprised if he jacks off during the conversation tho
What do you want him to do? talk about his family trip to Italy? WTF.
i also like both. they were close friends for along time. it is old school standup and Jay is absolutely killing. i've never seen him on this kind of a roll. Brilliant!
Like a freight train.
Jay Leno is a classic Italian talker - big body language, loud, cannot stop himself from jumping on the littlest cues and out-talk everyone else with amazing amounts of creativities. Count how many times Jay sticked his arm out, and how many times David did.
huh?
Leno's mom was born in Scotland. Jay Leno, like Craig Ferguson, has the gift of the gab of the Scots.
Leno is just such a beautiful, admirably blunt and articulate man. His wit is just on another level. This man has such a perfect way of saying things that make it so right. Seeing his rants and remarks makes me smile in awe. I'm so glad I've found him today. I'm 20 years old and recently been trying to find the video gem archives from the charming oldies. This has made a good morning
These guys had really funny chemistry in the '80s. I love how Letterman undercuts Jay at 2:20.
I’m 24 and Just saw this video from watching his channel Called jay lenos garage. Man this man is hilarious and I love his jokes
Who goes on Letterman with a rehearsed monologue? He planned to take over the conversation and promote himself
Daniel Morris ... well, it worked
Oh man, I have seen so many comedians do this. This is hardly new.
Everybody does that. You just hate the guy
letterman knew this.
What comedian goes on a talk without rehearsed bits? clueless.
They seemed like different people back then. I guess that's what we slowly differently different versions of ourselves. Jay Leno is almost cute here.
Jay dressed like a Miami Vice character. XD
I was in an airplane like dad that Jay Leno describes, the pilot landed in the middle of the Venezuelan plains under a Huge Tree, got off went and had lunch in a little hut near the tree , came back an hour later, and we continued
Wow, Jay's comedy was a lot more anti-corporate back then. Very neat. What happened?
3 LETTERS
N
B
C
He was the spokesman for Doritos back then.
Like most anti establishment people, they want to slow down and have an easier life, so they take the corporate jobs
Money
He got rich!
hardest working man in television... he deserves everything he has..
Definitely an 80s' wardrobe on Leno. He's wearing like a lab coat over a Hawaiian shirt.
Miami Vice-esque
Yeah, SHAMElessly Miami Vice-esque. Jay musta thought he was the shit.
I wanna see Leno go back on Letterman after he leaves NBC, having everything go full-circle.
Jay Leno another national treasure.
Most humble and kind person you could ever hope to meet.
Dave was a legend in his own mind. EMbarassing how despite millions he whined about not getting Johnnies chair. WHAAAA
Jay Leno reminds me of Great Khali from the WWE.
The good ol days.
THIS GUY was the "King of the Club comics?" Was stand-up comedy really in that much trouble in 1985?
Tony Heredia hold my beer.. Robin Williams.
Shoulda called Jay “King of the Dorks”
who are these people, they looked so freaking YOUNG!
Woah, "celestial funeral pyre," I'm impressed with that imagery.
It's ironic that Leno was Letterman's best guest and both never fully recovered after the rift. They were both in their comic prime here. Leno was never the host Dave was, and Dave lost his most dependable guest. I used to tape all of Leno's appearances on Letterman; it was almost as much a late-night happening as when Don Rickles used to be on Carson.
ok, this makes me respect leno a little more.
Good to see two great friends together
So Jay was actually... funny? So glad I found this.
Back in the day, when Jay cared.....
Dave is still butthurt about Jay and ALWAYS has to talk about him. Even with all the punches, Dave throws, Jay still keeps it classy.
buellerferris
Jay doesn't always keep it classy. He threw some shots at Dave.
buellerferris
creepy=/=classy
buellerferris It's late night comedy. Taking shots at each other is expected. Class has nothing to do with it.
Taking shots is one thing, obsessing over it is another thing.
Jay was always funny on Letterman. It's not really my concern but I think most comics think he sold his soul at some point.
lol Leno killed it! I've never heard anything other than his late-night monologues (sorry, I'm a 90s kid).
How did he ever get the tonight show.
His comedic style most often seems contrived to me. The joke about the pilot showing the plane to his friends wasn't, and it was a hit... didn't see it coming!
Hiring Jay Leno to host the tonight show was the most obvious choice. He just dominates Letterman.
Leno = GTA Vice City
He strangely reminds me of Chandler from "Friends"
CommunityServesUs hahaha
BING!! THE CHAN CHAN MAN!!
+318ironhide More like the CHIN CHIN MAN
Exactly what I was thinking
please refrain from insulting Chandler
If leno was green he would be the real Frankenstein
Leno basically interviews himself. I didn't know Red Bull was sponsoring comics back then.
***** It was called "cocaine" back then.
***** I honestly don't think Jay did drugs. He was one of the few sober 80's comics.
assmane999 I didn't think it was possible for him to actually be funnier on the tonight show given how inconsistent his show was, but this interview is not funny at all.
***** Tomato, tomato.
***** That's why he appeared on Letterman so often. Easy work for Dave. You just ask him a question, sit back and let him roll.
When I was a kid I recorded this and other times Leno was on Letterman. He was really funny back then and always cracked up Dave. I miss that Jay. "Hermaphrodite clowns throwing anthrax spores at the children".
I did this, too, Stace -- was wondering if I was the only one!
I just listened to Leno-on-Letterman spot that I'd re-listened to 100x or more over a two-year span (because I used comedy recordings to help me fall asleep every night). Hadn't heard it in about 40 yrs., yet I knew every word, audience reaction, misspeak, etc. (It was kind of like hearing the Pledge of Allegiance -- not surprising to me that it was so indelibly ingrained in my memory.)
Here it is, fwiw: th-cam.com/video/lZZ3DY3x1pE/w-d-xo.html
Dave kept circling back to it. I take it that he was tickled with the outrageous originality that Jay could bring. And the energy!
Wow, back when Jay Leno was kind of edgy and really funny. Dave has always said that Jay was the comic that all the other comics wanted to see.
Daniel Dougan Yeah, he really was the king: wtf happened to him? He was so unfunny as a talk show host.
assmane999 Exactly. But he had ratings that beat everyone else. Dave got screwed with that whole thing. And I think J. Fallon is the new Jay Leno. Both are unfunny, softball asking hacks.
Tim Young Say what you will about Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon, they have both been ratings gold for NBC. Yes, they play it safer than guys like David Letterman and Conan O'Brien, but NBC is (quite understandably) only concerned with how many people tune in. It's not their job to care about the quality of their programming; it's their job to care about the profitability of their programming. The audiences for Letterman and Conan were always more niche audiences; Leno and Fallon are more mainstream with broader appeal. I'm saying that as a big Conan fan.
Daniel Dougan I agree 100%. I wonder sometimes if people just put on NBC while they fall asleep and Jay or Jimmy happen to come on. Neither never make me actually laugh, Dave and Conan and Craig in the past did.
+Daniel Dougan Edgy? Barely. Funny? Hardly. Ever. Sorry.
So when people make fun of old style stand up, this is what they're referencing.
Yes because watching celebrities on Falon play cheezy home games is so entertaining ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
@toscodav I love that you picked the worst example of skit comedians to support your argument.
Who makes fun of old style stand up?
Shiite cookie bomb? What year was this? he can still use that joke - now that is a joke.
Now? LOL Oh, man, the opening line from the evening news, "There was unrest in the Middle East today..." has been a mantra for centuries...
StuPadazzo Funny (or really not funny) how nothing has really changes.
August 1985
To be fair to Jay, the "flying slave ship" bit was funny.
I was in college in the 80's when this first aired and I used to record Letterman on my VHS. I saved this show and must have watched it 30 or 40 times. Leno was hilariously funny. And this was Letterman in his prime....amazing times.
Hey Jay, how’s it going?
Jay: So I was at this nightclub last week, and blah blah blah blah blah
"Did u see the papuh's?"
"Did u see this? U hear about this?"
I'm 51 years old, I saw these Leno appearances on Late Night when they were first aired. I still believe this is some of the best entertainment ever aired, so you can imagine my disappointment when Leno was hosting the Tonight Show. Letterman and Leno should have forgotten about someting as lame as hosting a talk show, and become the greatest movie comedy team of all time, just. playing. themselves!
Won't lie...Jay Leno was funny at first, but then it got SUPER annoying!
Airline is definitely TWA
sethosayher >>> I don’t understand why they had to mask the name of the airline. Who the hell cares what airline someone does or doesn’t like?
People’s opinions shouldn’t be censored.
humor is never timeless, but this guy was funny back then. I was never a leno fan, but I believe the story that he was the best standup ever back in the day. he kicked jokes ones after the other.
Yes because the humor today is so good. Falon and his cheezy home games with celebrities? hahahhaha
It's a shame they've got a strained relationship. Imagine them both leaving their networks and started their own comedy network, just them two every night in this format. Dave's a damn funny interviewer and Jay can just let his motormouth rip. They'd clean up prime time every evening.
Yeah but who’s show would go on first?
@@RickBeatsWorld
I’d like to hear your answer.
@@RickBeatsWorld Always found it funny that NBC initially offered Letterman a primetime show in an effort to keep him on NBC, years before The Jay Leno Show came on in 2009. Would’ve been interesting to see how that might’ve worked out, although it probably would’ve been a similar situation.
@@trevgreg2 Primetime is a death wish for this medium. He would have hung himself in 2 months.
Why is Leno dressed like Chunk from The Goonies?
It's the Miami Vice era.
Is it me or there's a little similarity between Leno and Clooney??
Socheat Mek The strange head wiggle and arrogance.
If all of you people dislike Leno why waste your time watching it? Nobody cares about your ignorant comments.
coololds85 you are right. I wasted my time watching Leno
Leno looks and sounds like Link from Rhett & Link; Good Mythical Morning
Leno was a GREAT stand-up comedian, but a TERRIBLE talk show host!
I believe this episode was during the week of August 19, 1985.
Which explains his, now cringe worthy, ersatz Miami Vice look.
I never saw JAY this funny! I never watched the TONIGHT SHOW when he took over because he was so irritating to watch but here he's really making me laugh!
They're both so young here. Neither knew what would transpire between them
Jay 35 and Dave 38 with 7 years until The Tonight Show debacle #1.
@@markpugner9165 oh that explains a lot wow didn’t know that tbh Jay is clearly better
Jay’s tonight show was more mainstream but Letterman was way funnier to a smarter audience.
never saw much of leno on TV here in Australia, but love his youtube channel jay lenos garage
If only I had a Cristal ball. God bless you Mr Letterman and Mr Leno.
Wow, JonTron is hilarious.
I was curious if there was ever a point where jay was funny, now I know there wasn't
Never seen Letterman so happy or laugh so genuinely as he does with Leno here. You can see they are really close here. It's a shame what the media did to them.
Show the plane to his friends...funny line.
Leno is no good at improv so he just did a stand up routine, sitting down.
+Schizoman Have you EVER seen a comedian on a talk show who wasn't always "on"? I never once saw what Robin Williams was REALLY like because he was always in character. Same with Jim Carey. LOL
+Wayne Novotny There's a vast difference between being 'on' and playful versus reciting material.
+Schizoman most comedians do. Bill Burr for instance does it all the time.
The god of improving? lol
Dick Johnson Improvisation, not improving sir. 😊 No offense or antagonism implied.
It would be cool for Letterman to have Leno on his show today. I heard they kinda sorta buried the hatchet.
this is so bad its hard to articulate...how did this guy get a $250M tonight show job. the fish wrap joke...i feel sick.
Gosh that chin lol
Never thought I'd ever find Leno attractive, but gotta say he was a cute young fella. Aging is a bitch.
This is so bad. It’s like that Bryan Allen show. F… we don’t want to hear your act from a chair.
I prefer Leno over Dave. His tonight show was a lot funnier
He is so not funny. Actually he is never been funny, a real mystery how he succeeded.
if watching this now it seems hack to you that's because a bunch of garbage comics saw this live on air and then stole the premises, every hack joke comes from something so good lesser comics can't help but lift it.
6:37 Dave couldn’t contain himself 🫶🏾👊🏾
Did Letterman already dislike Leno at this point? Or was there still amiability between them at that point?
They were good friends. Dave had him on his show once a month.
I have to say Jay Leno's actually pretty good here. Full of energy and vibe. I guess I can sort of understand why he got the Tonight Show over David Letterman back in the 90s better now.
Jay was a really good comic back in the day. He toned it down for the Tonight show.
He was 35 here.
SO JAY LENO USED TO BE FUNNY BEFORE HE GOT HIS SHOW.......
So why does Letterman hate Jay Leno so much.
6:20 The first comedian to approach the subject of "ultra processed foods", well done Jay.
Hysterical 😂😂😂😂
For sure Leno's material was 99% pre-rehearsed with almost no room for improv; very little chance for Letterman to get a word in edgewise or enhance the jokes.
Contrast that style with someone like Teri Garr, who would come on with maybe a story or two to tell, yet she and Letterman could go on for 10 minutes just goofing around, while still being funny. And unrehearsed. That's the kind of comedy that I have respect for, people who think on their feet, with lightning fast repartee that holds one's interest.
Still, for what he does, Leno is a master.
Me, I prefer the unrehearsed/improv stuff over strictly pre-prepared jokes with punchlines, etc. Whatever floats your boat. Takes some skill to go either way ....
Leno was way edgier back in the day.
omg jokes about flying are soooooo great!
Leno rules!
This is when Jay was his funniest. Dave brought out the best in him. Always thought that they'd hug it out in the end. Maybe Conan could bring them together ala Sinatra Martin Lewis Labor Day Telethon.
Conan Bring them together? Are you kidding. Conan and Leno have even a bigger fued going haaha
80's fashion didin;t age well.
His chin makes him
Jay's comedy is hilarious when he is doing his own material. The writers on the Tonight Show didn't do him any justice. Dave's show was always the best when Leno was on. Their banter was so funny.
Letterman has said repeatedly that Leno is the funniest guy he's ever known. If you think Letterman is not laughing genuinely here, then you don't know much about Letterman.
Jay Leno was very funny in these days as a comedian, but in terms of Late Night Talk Shows, NOTHING was funnier than David Letterman when he was still on NBC. It's not even close.
or Conan
This was Letterman in his prime,NBC Dave was much better than CBS Dave, I am not sure why though.
@@jdnolin4852 Dave became Politically Correct with his CBS show. CBS made sure he killed his irreverent, sarcastic side.
Did Dave ask a single question??
Leno was such a non-guest here. He treats this as a sit-down standup opportunity. Either he had no clue how to really have a conversation or he was still a product of what his handlers made him. Can you see how even then Letterman knew more about being a talk show host than most since him have learned. Dave was pretty gracious here. I think he somehow knew this was his life, and Leno knew what his was. Leno would have gone to greater heights just staying in standup. He kind of leveled off as a talk show host. Not many comedians have ever made good hosts (**psst! even Drew Carey is no Bob Barker!**). Witness Steve Harvey. Fantastic with comedy, obscure game show host.
Stanley TryHard I think what you're commenting on is the old comic/straight man routine. Believe me, Letterman sets up every joke for him. He knows exactly what he wants.
So remaining a standup would have taken Jay to greater heights?? You mean more appearances on TV's Bloopers and practical jokes LMAO!!
Big difference in how long they let a guest stay on then as opposed to do your plug and/or engage in silly skit and go in minutes appearances now. Leno is totally robotic/automaton here as now. He comes already in club skit mode...not a trace of a real person except Boston home comment. Where's his New England accent? Someone here said Leno is "relentness". Yes. Always seems to be. The constant need to do club work/car collecting/Tonight Show gigs...almost like if he stops he'll see the real person (which I guess he wouldn't like) so he always has to be 'on' performing & collecting-filling some kind of endless void w/ empty audience adulation & big toys. Letterman was more human/real. Cranky, horny, irritable, snarky, didn't need the false adulation, had a kid, lives in quiet CT. area on w/ends. Vacations in St. Barts often w/family. If Leno like a shark stopped moving-death. I keep reading that Rodney Dangerfield generously gave a lot of gifted comedians their starts & his mentorship-Kinison, Carrey, Schimmel, etc. I found it interesting that of the so so many Rodney helped, that he had nothing to do w/Leno who was a club gadfly then. I'm interpreting it as Rodney could wisely read people & saw Leno was ultimately pure rote BS then & knew what real star/talent power was. And Leno was Shecky Greene redux.
I hate on talk shows when the guest comes out and the host says 'how's it been?' and they ramble on for like 10 minutes uninterrupted, it happens a lot
Letterman hates celebrities that sit there like zombies and think they can get by with just their celebrity status and looks. Leno had an open invitation to appear on Late Night whenever he wanted.
The in-flight movie was Eraserhead!
mmmm soft cookies
Jay is on fire in this video. This is proof that Letterman should've been given the tonight show. Leno would've been America's great comic if he didn't have to water it down to become corporate. Letterman is great when he's interviewing someone, Leno's talent was being the subject of an interview not the interviewer.
Benjamin Walker Totally agree. He sucked as host.
Jays standup career could've been Jerry Seinfeld before Jerry even existed
Benjamin Walker I can't imagine Jay being the star of his own sitcom like Jerry. He sucks as an actor.
@@assmane999 But Jerry sucked as an actor, too. Didn’t stop his show, he just played an exaggerated version of himself. He was surrounded by better actors, though, and it was a big hit.
How the fuck did people find Leno to be funny is beyond me
CPapadakis because he was one of the best comics of all time back then, you remember Leno from his tonight show days when he sold out and was corny but back then he was one of the best.....
2:24 Leno giving Dave a hint of things to come..... ^_^
Dave’s Body language: weasel on board.
Dave was laughing his ass off and had an open invitation to Leno to appear whenever he wanted. You don't know shit.
Jesus Christ, young Leno was a stone-cold killer. He hit the ground running, locked-in on the only setting he knows: full-on, pure unmitigated savage beast mode where he relentlessly with extreme prejudice, but without fail proves he is incapable of delivering anything other than the perfect zeroed-in, locked and loaded, one with the universe, state of being that is the spiritual equivalent of a fire in the belly that burns with the raw intensity of a thousand suns and ten crack heads. Hungry 80's road comic Jay has crazy rapid fire, hyperbolic high energy with edgy sharp risky material that is at this date and time over 35 years ago yet so innovatively daring and topically relevant now, it is content that's still ridiculously hip and ahead of its time cutting edge like it was written tomorrow and not over two and a half decades ago. Leno was like an insanely literate, absurdly talented human tornado of high charged comedic sound and fury and machine gun fire rat-a-tat-tat delivery that never loses its verve or crazy wicked irreverent battering ram momentum.
Young Leno is a comedic agent of chaos and force of nature manifest destining his way into the zeitgeist of all-timer immortal iconoclasts.