Jay Leno Collection on Letterman, Part 3 of 3: 1986-1993 re-up

Jay Leno appeared on Late Night forty-one times, forty as a guest and one in a taped cameo. Here are all of his appearances, plus other related videos scattered within.
A few clips were edited together from different sources. For one video (January 6, 1983), I chose the E! broadcast, as it's the only source in my collection that didn't mute "Hostess Twinkies."
The collection is in three parts:
Part 1: Clips #1 to 14 -- • Jay Leno Collection on...
Part 2: Clips #15 to 28 -- • Jay Leno Collection on...
Part 3: Clips #29 to 50 -- here
Part 3 begins with Jay's first Tonight Show as guest-host in 1986. It foreshadowed shifting tectonic plates between Jay, Dave, NBC, and CBS.
Before all that, though, there's a reason Jay appeared so often on Late Night, especially up that first guest-host milestone: he was damn funny, and Dave's laughter was genuine. There's much here to analyze their evolving relationship.
Part 1:
1. April 15, 1982: Jay guest appearance #1 (stand-up #1 and home base chat)
2. June 4, 1982: Jay #2
3. June 30, 1982: Jay #3 (introduced by Harve Mann)
4. October 11, 1982: Jay #4
5. November 10, 1982: Jay #5
6. January 6, 1983: Jay #6
7. February 2, 1983: Jay #7
8. April 5, 1983: Jay #8
9. July 7, 1983: Jay #9
10. September 6, 1983: Jay #10
11. October 4, 1983: Jay #11
12. January 12, 1984: Jay #12
13. March 13, 1984: Jay #13
14. May 14, 1984: Jay #14
Part 2:
15. August 16, 1984: Jay #15
16. September 26, 1984: Jay #16
17. January 9, 1985: Jay #17
18. March 21, 1985: Jay #18
19. April 24, 1985: Jay #19
20. August 21, 1985: #20
21. October 10, 1985: Jay #21
22. November 19, 1985: Jay #22
23. January 9, 1986: Jay #23
24. January 30, 1986: Jay #24
25. March 25, 1986: Jay #25 (w/Seth Green, then 12 years old)
26. May 28, 1986: Jay #26
27. June 18, 1986: Chris Elliott's Jay Leno impression #1
28. August 19, 1986: Jay #27
Part 3:
29. September 9, 1986: Jay's first Tonight Show as guest-host, monologue
30. October 2, 1986: Chris Elliott's Jay Leno impression #2
31. October 14, 1986: Jay #28 (w/Chris Elliott)
32. November 1, 1986: Dave cameos on Jay's television special
32. December 16, 1986: Jay #29
33. February 7, 1987: Jay #30 (stand-up #2 for 5th anniversary)
34. May 13, 1987 (taped April 13): Jay #31
35. September 29, 1987: Jay #32
36. November 24, 1987: Jay #33 (with 3 kids: Jocelyn Argento, Kristin Symons, and Brian Wilde)
37. February 11, 1988: same Condom Week joke setup with different punchlines, Jay guest-hosting The Tonight Show, followed by Dave an hour later
38. March 4, 1988: Jay #34
39. July 7, 1988: Jay #35
40. May 4, 1989: Jay #36 (in Chicago)
41. August 16, 1989: Jay #37
42. October 11, 1990: Leno guests on Donahue, excerpts
43. October 11, 1990: Leno guests on Live at Five
44. October 11, 1990: Jay #38
45. November 2, 1990: Jay's taped Viewer Mail cameo, taped October 11, 1990
46. June 6, 1991: Dave congratulates Jay for succeeding Johnny Carson as Tonight Show host
47. December 12, 1991: Jay #39
48. May 7, 1992: Jay #40 (Jay becomes Tonight Show host in two weeks)
49. January 14, 1993: Jay, now Tonight Show host, remarks on Dave's decision to leave NBC for CBS
50. June 25, 1993: Jay wishes Dave well before the upcoming final Late Night

[@anothermonday5664]

You could tell in those two post Carson announcement appearances the way he walks around the corner all sheepishly like “yeah, me and Helen kind of did ya dirty” look on his face. It is also lends to Dave’s assertion that Jay was always bratty the way that he brings on Dave’s old jokes from the 70s and sort of motors through them, and then also rubbing in the Oprah and Time magazine thing. Such a awkward turn of events for two old friends. (and I’m sure the audience was advised, “no booing!”) But as always, excellent work, Don .

[@mr8966]

Changing Leno’s face whyin closeup is disturbing and offensive

[@cefcat5733]

Never knew that this would be seen as media History, but here it is. Time flew.

[@threetreasures7698]

Didn’t though! And is still flying fast n furiously. Sheesh. My parents and all siblings were still alive, I was still climbing the slippery corporate ladder, good friends were still alive, no school, church or mall shootings either.

[@josephelizondo3579]

Dave congratulates Jay on becoming the new Tonight Show host. They joke back and forth. At 2:40, Paul and the band play ' you can't always get what you want '

[@trekkiejunk]

What? At 2:40, Leno doing a monologue on the Tonight Show.

[@josephelizondo3579]

Apologies 2 hours, 40 minutes, 44 seconds

[@ludwigfan3013]

Never thought I'd think this but I miss seeing Jay Leno host The Tonight Show

[@larrymaloney877]

What's left is trash.

[@bullwinkle60]

Why wouldn't you think that?

[@martiwest2594]

So do y he was great but don’t think that y don’t. The no I just don’t believe he is and he as hilarious as hell and he scepter for Johnny. I’m in my opinion the best host here he was tonite show I like letterman but he’s no Jay Leno. I know I’ll be bashed for this but everyone has the right to have an opinion and voice it I would never try to get stop anyone to quiet that right.

[@martiwest2594]

@@larrymaloney877 I disagree. Jimmy Fallon has me moments of humor, not many but still he does have it, and that’s better than my st of the ones left

[@martiwest2594]

YES!!!

[@danafo81]

Thanks for uploading these collection videos, they're great! You are a scholar and a gentleman.

[@Alarsonen]

Much like Oscar

[@RobLives4Love]

thanks for this, Don. Had my laptop stolen Turkey Day weekend, this not only brightened up my day a bit, but let me not worry for a while

[@prmaninla]

Don, so happy to see this back up! Thank you! You know, it's actually amazing up to his very last appearance, in fact his very last joke, Leno was still cracking up Dave, with the windows for his Dad story. And the two appearances after he gets the Tonight Show gig, the audience is thunderous in greeting him, which means it's pretty clear - at least publicly - there was no feud or whatever, at that time. This trilogy is a real piece of American television history. I hope you get recognized in some way for doing this. The capper would be for Dave to have Jay on his new show... Just the two of them talking... maybe watching some of the old clips together... man, that would be something. Thanks again Don!

[@lukethedrifter1]

Llllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllppnkkkł

[@janisthompson9801]

Awesome idea❤️🇨🇦❤️

[@kiddalingur]

Dave took in leno knowing he did not get the job years forhand

[@kiddalingur]

they where never friends after that, the super bowl in 2010 they did a commercial together, with oprah letterman with leno

[@tonirose6776]

It's cool to see how Jay developed and got better over the years. Letterman corresponded with increasingly intense laughter. I loved observing Dave setting Jay up, and how clumsy or smooth that would go, wherein they were both laughing at that very clunkiness. Dave is especially adept at setting up (like Carson), and I love the frown of disapproval Jay puts on every time Dave goes to commercial.

[@wellofbeersheba]

Those stories about his parents are hysterical.

[@mikestevenson576]

Thank you, Don. I took exceptions to quite a bit of Dave's actions towards Leno in later years, but watching this I'm struck by the breathtaking class and generosity Dave showed in that December 1991 appearance. We learned later he was gritting his teeth the whole time and at one point called it the toughest night of his TV career. But what we saw at the time was just a perfect on and off ramp to every line Jay had.

[@natevm7888]

Yeah I was surprised at that because as far as I knew Dave was super pissed he didn't get the tonight Show. You can kind of understand it since he had a talk show long before Leno and had the seniority but you know the network wanted to go a different way and as it turned out they were probably right as much as I love Dave cuz they ended up with the highest ratings for many years. Was amazing to me to see how much he actually seemed to love the guy, laughing at all his jokes etc when he would come on his show for years up until Jay actually became a threat and got The tonight Show.

[@mikestevenson576]

@@natevm7888 What an amazing history with those two. And the more you look, the more there is. Johnny Carson wouldn't book Jay Leno for nearly a decade and what changed that? According to Jimmie Walker, it was a call from Dave. When Dave was a brand new comedian at the Comedy Store and trying to find a voice, whose persona did he appropriate? According to Merrill Markoe, it was Jay Leno. So tragic that they could never come together again apart from the Super Bowl commercial.

[@kiddalingur]

that was be for all mobile phones, let alone all social media

[@nathanforester5993]

All of these are gold and also iconic.

[@pooyab01]

Thanks for part 3 Don

[@bullwinkle60]

Chris Elliott doing Leno was brilliant.

[@roberts1572]

And horrifying.

[@kieculpitt407]

funniest, most dynamic Leno impersonation ive seen...!

[@stephengiese7549]

This guy never runs out of breath not to mention material and gimmicksl. Wind him up and let him go! What a relief! Thanks alot Don and utube!

[@JM-dv1zq]

Don, thanks for the videos ! I'm nursing a bad foot and laughter is the best medicine !

[@ihavefallenandicantreachmy2113]

Reminds me of the "Stolen Leg" Segment, in Monty Python's "The Meaning of Life." Either way; i hope you have plenty of Tiger Repellant, on Hand.

[@tjkinsella1111]

Thanks Don!

[@ohthehumanity6774]

This was one of the great 1-2 comedy teams EVER. By this I mean Letterman’s impeccable ability to set up Leno so he could do a joke. It was seamless, effortless, and sometimes Letterman would make fun of the form, which probably preceded Vaudeville. This record of their interactions is priceless.

[@juggajiggawugga4665]

RRR RRRRRR RrrrrRRrrrrrRr at rtRRRTrERrrrR St EM RRRRRrrrrrRrrr re errrERrR At REARR AT At EE AT TY Art art is A ROCKET ON MY BACK the Same with THE VIRUS transmitted with it are CONFIDENTIAL and I will be ridiculous at the moment I Am the same Time to sell your Personal World of Warcraft Account the Same WITH THE TO THE VIRUS TRANSMITTED AND I YOU

[@larrymaloney877]

Are you serious? A "comedy team?" Not hardly.

[@mattwuxx3888]

It's basically what classic comics call "doing panel". Host-assisted rehearsed/adlib sit-down stand-up. Letterman basically invented it outside of leftover jokes comedians would do sitting down on Johnny's show after their official set.

[@reneeorozco-gorelick1324]

@@mattwuxx3888 J J Upjpjpupuuppup

[@reneeorozco-gorelick1324]

We can pppooooiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiuuuuuuuuu

[@DemonsSister]

Thanks, Don, I mistakenly recalled that Jay stopped being on Dave after he got "The Tonight Show".

[@dongiller]

Only after he had become the actual host rather than guest-host. 1993 here refers to Jay wishing Dave well right before Dave’s final Late Night.

[@antlerking69]

Thanx Don

[@debbieramsey-hanks3757]

Thank you. Wonderful to laugh, especially in 2021. Now, at a time when we could be in an episode of "The Twilight Zone." I believe. Letterman Carson made their peace before he retired and died. I do not know if David Letterman and Jay Leno made their peace before they retired. All blessed with talent and tremendous careers. Touching all of us for many years. Thank you.

[@dongiller]

Dave and Johnny never needed any peace to be made.

[@mikefolknation2851]

Dave really ripped Leno publicly after Conan was railroaded by NBC. However Dave also did a super bowl commercial with Leno. Dave is also the first to admit Leno was and is an amazing stand up comedian. Really they both are great at what they did.

[@feggyduss6463]

@@mikefolknation2851 It was Epic. I loved every single minute of it too. Jay was terrific too, no darling either. LOL. He understood the Business and studied the numbers. Did he have Integrity? HA!

[@salgoud12]

Dave went on record to state that he and Jay would occasionally hangout during their late show/tonight show tenure. I believe Dave shared this during one of the later interviews with Howard Stern

[@dongiller]

@@salgoud12 The only time they got together was for the Super Bowl commercial with Oprah.

[@cefcat5733]

When I see Leno, I still miss Carson.

[@neilriley6286]

I like Jay...

[@threetreasures7698]

I miss Carson. I like Jay; letterman not so much.

[@JayDeeIsMyName]

2:51:00 Wait, did Jay seriously try to pull a 'Don't Blame Dave' there? In 2010, he pulled a 'Don't Blame Conan'! :o

[@dsimssims9560]

"Staring into the eye of a chicken." This is freaking hilarious for anyone who's ever seen a live chicken's eye.

[@prmaninla]

I use this line all time to describe what it's like when i'm talking to people with just "nothing there"

[@michaelduncan2151]

EVERY Kid that was raised in the countryside..... THAT'S WHO.....City boy....!!!

[@midnightpretenders5749]

​@@prmaninlalol....me too.

[@richardyoon4209]

I'm a Dave guy but I got to give Jay his props. In all his appearances on Late Night which is over 8 hours, I count only twice where Jay repeated a joke. It was 99.9% new material on Late Night.

[@robertf6344]

Well done on the content and editing.

[@dongiller]

Thanks!

[@SladeBling]

I think Dave really got upset when he started to get beat by Leno in the ratings around 1995. Dave reflected on how Jay campaigned to get the Tonight Show, how Jay and Helen forced Carson out. Dave probably felt that he wouldn't have all these ratings problems if he would have got the Tonight Show instead of Jay. Of course, by this time Dave was responsible to so many people at CBS, plus he owned his own corporation(Worldwide Pants) with dozens of employees who relied on him. Dave felt lousy, that he was letting everybody down. I think there were many shows in the late 90's where Dave seems depressed, practically giving up hope. He later admitted he was foolish to be so obsessed over late night TV. But yes, for decades Dave blamed his 2nd place ratings all on his perception that Jay betrayed him, never truly looking in the mirror at his own shortcomings.

[@costcoshill7941]

Watching newer interviews with Dave he seems to have reflected on that period a lot, even if he won't say it outright. Kind of a "why did I get so caught up" attitude, realizing in the end it didn't really matter much as they both had very successful shows.

[@SladeBling]

@@costcoshill7941 Dave's old producer Robert Morton revealed basically everything about why Dave disliked Leno in The Carson Podcast featuring Robert Morton. A must listen for any big Dave Letterman fans.

[@costcoshill7941]

@@SladeBling Thanks for the rec! Listening now. Both Letterman and Leno are really fascinating people

[@midnightpretenders5749]

​@@SladeBlingwhere's the pod....I can see a Letterman podcast with Morton

[@TheBloodyPopcorn]

So Jay was still going on Dave’s show after he was announced as the new host of the tonight show?

[@dongiller]

Seems that’s a rhetorical question.

[@September2004]

2:25:30 I didn’t start watching late night talk shows until the mid-90s so I’ve never known Letterman and Leno as anything but rivals. I didn’t realize until a few years ago how often Leno was on Letterman’s show so it looks so weird to me to see them together. I wonder what it’s like for folks who paid attention both before and after.

[@GR_BackingTracks]

"Mr. Comedy, Jay Leno." - I was today years old when I realized Dave had given him this name decades ago.

[@spuzzlightyeartoo]

Question, at what point along was Dave in his journey to CBS during the last Jay interview? I know CBS wasn't part of the question yet, but had he met Mike Ovitz yet?

[@dongiller]

According to Bill Carter’s book _The Late Shift,_ Dave met Ortiz in L.A. during the week of September 16, 1991.

[@vrvaughn]

We need a compilation of all the full songs the band played over the years that we only heard the beginning and the end of…

[@dongiller]

No longer doable, so this’ll have to suffice for now - kzbin.info/www/bejne/n33WmoOulNKsnbM

[@brokenfever]

tell me the name of the smooth jazz song the band with David Sandborn plays at 2:00:00.

[@dongiller]

At the time you marked, Dave and Jay are chatting. Soon after they go to a commercial break with “Summer in the City” (Lovin’ Spoonful, 1966). So, obviously, this is not the time you mean. Find the accurate time, and next time, ask, don’t demand.

[@leemartin1417]

Jay reminds me of the Boston Dad. Kinnd of has the same character and accent. I was surprised when i found Jay grew up north of Boston. The 2 should meet sometime soon. Their both good at standup comedy

[@Zaxarian]

I usually go for dark comedy but Jay has a monologue here that still is funny 40 years later almost letterman was always more cerebral

[@powerpopaholic876]

Chris Elliot impression = Spot on

[@LN-Lifer]

And Robin Williams

[@Thelavendel]

I didn't know how funny Jay Leno was

[@user-mb4qs7tg8d]

Should’ve put the Super Bowl commercial at the end

[@nutthead4004]

The chevette joke is now the Smartcar joke

[@michellegault4590]

All that time Jay never stop 🎉eating

[@cindykaywebster4643]

At Least back then his hair kind of balanced out his jaw

[@adorable6385]

This happened in Tampa where I heard this

[@okay8094]

Love the Teddy Ruxpin joke

[@NevadaBoss]

..and, as for Jay hiding in the next room while NBC execs choose Johnny's successor...as always, "don't blame Conan!"

[@djdon60]

"...and, in any of this, who has blamed Conan?"

[@luxurreview]

Six years earlier he did the exact same act 😢

[@jf5618]

Jay is like a combo of Norm and Conan individually or technically, Norm and Conan’s style seem to have some serious Jay influence.

[@benrichards399]

As a thinner guy his chin looked way more noticeable!!! 😳

[@mikefolknation2851]

People can say what they want and debate all day long......but the fact is Leno is extremely talented, smart, and a very hard worker.

[@feggyduss6463]

It was all in great fun. Dave and Jay are the last of the Big Time Television Stars in Late Night Television. $30 million plus or minus per year.

[@natevm7888]

@@feggyduss6463 Jay's insane stand-up experience is what got him The tonight Show. that's why he was so good at the monologue which got the ratings quick at 11:30 that killed all other late nighters for many years. I still think Conan's mostly unscripted interviews with guests where the best ever by far. His quick wit could be dynamic.

[@PittsburghMarky]

Agree totally. Love me some Leno.

[@JJ-ze6vb]

If only he was funny…

[@christopherp.hitchens3902]

Except…HE’S NOT FUNNY! You mentioned everything but that!

[@cindykaywebster4643]

He has very nice eyes I never noticed before

[@ihavefallenandicantreachmy2113]

Chris Elliott, yes. You must have "Cabin Boy" Fever.

[@goliath8922]

Jay is a true mensch trying to help out Stavros

[@librarycollection3795]

Since Leno retired from the late-night show I stopped watching late-night shows. Not because they are all so bad, but because no one can really fill up the void that Jay left behind for me. Thanks for uploading. He actually looked like Elvis in that interview with Letterman.

[@UberNeuman]

The truth of it is that the day of the "Late Talk Show" has come and passed. It was going downward during Carson's time and with the internet coming to the forefront has outpaced all of them. Seinfeld said it best that Carson took it with him - and the rest where chasing after that "his" The Tonight Show.

[@OfficialJoeKingOne]

Except for the facial structure, yeah lol!

[@tennissir1986]

So how did Jay and Helen engineer his takeover of,the show ?

[@dongiller]

Read Bill Carter’s book _The Late Shift The Battle for Late Night_.

[@richardyoon4209]

Secret deal when Jay re-upped his contract to be Permanent Guest Host on the Tonight Show. Jay and Helen threatened to go over to CBS and NBC panicked, thinking they had Dave locked in a long term contract. When Johnny retired, Jay would take over the Tonight Show but no announcement of that was ever made at the time.

[@tennissir1986]

@@richardyoon4209 Doesn’t sound underhanded in any way.

[@richardyoon4209]

@@tennissir1986 It was the campaigning for the job and sucking up to the NBC executives that Dave hated. Ironic thing is that NBC thought dealing with Jay would be much easier than dealing with Dave, but Helen was such a nightmare to deal with that Jay almost lost the Tonight show

[@tennissir1986]

@@richardyoon4209 Interesting. In a sleazy business like entertainment - you have to be dirty to get an ahead.

[@nohabloemojislosiento4930]

Jay's joke about too much information on your receipt seems so inconsequential and petty compared to the information that is collected these days, which is a little scary.

[@MattKirk007]

I didn’t know anyone ever liked Jay Leno

[@Heath75032]

Jay doesn’t chew his food enough.

[@redeemed7920]

Yea; it doesn’t seem like Dave had a problem with Jay at the time….was the feud thing perpetuated by fans?

[@johnking5174]

The feud only started once Dave had left NBC. Problem was Dave was not told about the actions of Jay Leno during the period of speculation of which of them was going to get the Tonight Show job. He only found out about what Jay did when he left NBC. He found it that Jay had sat in a closest listening into a NBC big management meeting about Jay's future and used that meeting to leverage the management to support him and not Dave. The feud got worse later on during Dave's problems at CBS from 1995, when Leno was starting to beat him. At that point he felt Leno didn't care about him and so their relationship started to freeze over.

[@SladeBling]

I think Dave really got upset when he started to get beat by Leno in the ratings. Dave reflected on how Jay campaigned to get the Tonight Show, how Jay and Helen forced Carson out. Dave realized that he wouldn't have all these ratings problems if he would have got the Tonight Show instead of Jay. Of course, by this time Dave was responsible to so many people at CBS, plus he owned his own corporation(Worldwide Pants) with dozens of employees who relied on him. Dave felt lousy, that he was letting everybody down. I think there were many shows in the late 90's where Dave seems depressed, practically giving up hope. He later admitted he was foolish to care so much about late night TV. But yes, for decades Dave blamed his 2nd place ratings all on his perception that Jay betrayed him, never truly looking in the mirror at his own shortcomings.

[@feggyduss6463]

I absolutely love this! Shortly before Jay became a schemer... Or, was it Helen Kushnick?Hillarious! Thanks for sharing.

[@djdon60]

Thank-you! I was trying to remember Helen Kushnick's name.

[@ihavefallenandicantreachmy2113]

The old "Become a Schemer" Ploy. Very effective.

[@spam7797]

I had no idea that Jay was on Dave twice after getting the tonight show. Kinda shows you what a professional Dave was...

[@dongiller]

Both before he actually became the host.

[@mikefolknation2851]

Probably didn't have much choice. NBC wanted to promote their new guy.

[@spam7797]

@@dongiller Sure, but it had been announced, right? Might be the way Dave was playing nice with the network just in case they changed their minds?

[@larrymaloney877]

Na, Dave was all about Dave-and ratings. Jay increased his audience.

[@larrymaloney877]

@@mikefolknation2851 Could it be "their new guy" was great for ratings and Dave needed all the help he could get?

[@Mysticinvestigations]

I guess his dad didn't even need the 15 year guarantee on the windows as he died a few years later. Leno's mother died a year before that.

[@guomondur9248]

2:15:00 one of his best appearance

[@lyonellaverde3135]

This is so informative. I really don't get the "feud" between the two. Being on Dave's program helped Jay's career AND helped Dave's show. Also, their public pronouncements appeared rather gracious about the transition. At this point in their careers, Jay and Dave were extremely sucessful, and accomplished just about everything one could want in show biz. At this point, the feud seems silly.

[@johnking5174]

The feud started after Dave had left NBC in 1993. The feud started when Letterman found out from Bill Carter the movements Leno made during the period of transition, including during the time when NBC were still discussing who should be the Tonight Show host, such as Leno listening in a closet to a NBC management meeting about his and Letterman's future at NBC

[@SeaShellEyes_9]

You can clearly see the reason for the feud in these clips: Leno took control of the segments, ignoring Dave for the first few years and sticking to his routine while Dave tried to engage him in banter. In Part 1 Dave even says ‘you don’t need me to be here’ and Jay responds “that’s what I keep telling the network” to an uncomfortable laugh. Dave put Dave on, boosting his career then Jay stole his Tonight Show job out from under him, when it was promised to him by Johnny.

[@johnking5174]

@@SeaShellEyes_9 Johnny couldn't promise David anything. Johnny forgot that once he retired, ownership of the Tonight Show reverted back to NBC. Johnny had no say in who his successor should be. Johnny wanted David, but David didn't help himself, by constantly making fun of and insulting his own bosses at NBC/GE. Each week he laid into them, mocking them, and then he expected them to make him the host of the Tonight Show? A bit like you constantly mocking your boss, insulting them, and then when they fire you, you get all annoyed and think you did nothing wrong. The old saying, if you keep poking a sleeping tiger with a stick, don't be surprised when it wakes up and bites your arm off.

[@siggylloyd3566]

Please, don't blame Conan.

[@feggyduss6463]

Hillarious!

[@nav662007]

Don, here's an idea, and you may be uniquely positioned to do this. What if we could get Jay and Dave to do a show, a streaming Netflix special perhaps, to bury the hatchet? If that is even possible, I bet it would be a big draw...

[@dongiller]

I have utterly no influence in their decisions.

[@user-ft6og5vl6n]

Leno should never have gotten the Tonight Show gig. There were many others more deserving than him. The Tonight Show went way down hill, when Leno was the host!

[@richardyoon4209]

I'm a Dave guy but it to me it was a given that Leno would get the Tonight Show in 1991. It seemed liked NBC was grooming Leno to be the host of the Tonight Show when Johnny left. I never really felt that Dave was in contention.

[@UberNeuman]

As a Letterman fan, it burned me how the Tonight Show deal played out. Jay was one of the funnier guest/stand ups on Late Night. He lost all his edge getting that show.

[@librarycollection3795]

I don't quite see it that way. I thought he shined marvelously on the Tonight show. I could never get enough when he was on.

[@feggyduss6463]

Jay was a Business Person. He understood Economics and studied the numbers. Plus, he had an evil angry "Karen" as a manager to do all of the "heavy lifing" in order to move things along. Cunning. Baflling. Powerful. Zero Integrity. I love it.

[@ihavefallenandicantreachmy2113]

@D "Letterman was born to Talk-Show Host.........Every Hosting job he did was a bomb." Is that incorrect?

[@mikestevenson576]

Dave wasn't that edgy from the 90s onward either. Sometimes it's just about evolving. Edgy doesn't look great on old people.

[@johnking5174]

Letterman said he knew of a very different side to Leno, a much cruel side that Leno could have. On many occasions when Letterman and Leno were in Los Angeles in the late 70s, Leno would really enjoy watching his fellow comics really bomb on talk shows such as on Merv Griffin, and would watch them back with a huge smile on his face, loving to see them get destroyed. Showed a nasty side of Leno to Letterman, which is why Letterman called Jay a brat.

[@SladeBling]

Letterman cheated on his longtime girlfriend, then cheated on his wife. He also visited prostitutes almost every day before taping..was finally told to keep it more discreet.

[@zydol1]

It's hilarious how Leno gets a reaction out of Dave by coming out with big bags of food and proceeding to chomp away during the interview. It takes a lot of confidence to do that.

[@September2004]

I didn't watch late night shows until the 90s so I wonder what it's like to be a late night junkie ever since Carson and see these two guys as awesome together and then become opponents.

[@MOranstock]

Unbelievable chin 😅

[@ihavefallenandicantreachmy2113]

Fraud Fact! Jim Bakker still sells Snake Oil, in Southern Missouri, at "Morningside Church/Snake Oil Emporium." "Come, for the Church, Leave, all your Money and Belongings (including your faulty TV Remote), at Morningside Church."

[@nigelmarshallkenyonabbott8684]

Jay was a bad fit for the Tonight show. His 'garage' videos are great. His stint on 'You Bet Your Life' stinks. His standup was good. All quick on the trigger, Conan, Dave, Chris Elliott, and Jay. Proper delivery timed perfectly

[@GH-oi2jf]

Jay had a pretty good run on Tonight, after some early missteps.

[@richardyoon4209]

I'm a Dave guy. Dave had the praise & support from other comics and the critics. But Jay, except for 2 years, would always beat Dave in ratings. Even when NBC did not have strong primetime lineup in the 2010s, Jay would beat Dave.

[@petesmitt]

Leno really went for the outlandish 80's fashion look.. horrific.

[@dcool2u2]

What happened @ 214:10 ?!! The story was going to be about the "dangers of coffee" and a porn video starts up Lol!!!

[@kevinlakeman5043]

I love revisiting these old clips. Letterman and Leno were actual friends for many years, and let's skip the reason(s) thing went off the rail there. Also, Leno's joke works, but there had actually never been a film adaptation of "Catcher In the Rye" made and released. Overrated novel, imo. Can't get into it after a certain age cuz it just sounds contrived w/ the occasional swear word to make it 'edgy'. Ooh...

[@ghostshipone]

Even back then you can see the strain of the relationship.. Dave was such a good sport

[@hobbygamer6220]

GOOD GRIEF you scared the living * out of me

[@ramel79]

These 2 are gems. They are wise enough to leave at the right time. It’s my opinion they were too informed and well cultured for what would potentially be their current audience.

[@Kk-fc5jw]

Letterman should of taken over Carson!!! I like Jay as a person but is it me? Or does it feel like all his jokes about his real life experiences,are bullshit? Made up?

[@fmradio42]

5;32 Rodney Dangerfield

[@jeremybartlett1706]

Boy, I tell ya...

[@gusgus8134]

Not a fan of Leno.

[@aizabeewalken]

I don’t mean to be a chin chin, but I’ve never really liked Jay Leno at all. Somethings never change.