Jay Leno Collection on Letterman, Part 2 of 3: 1984-1986

[@user-td6yv6lr7p]

Thanks for putting this on here, never would have seen them otherwise, Jay certainly has changed in some ways.

[@terrydefoor453]

These memories would have disappeared forever for me except for your compilations. Thanks Don!

[@teresaf991]

Man you are the greatest. Anyone can just upload a video to you tube but the work you put into putting these together and not cutting out too much is really appreciated.

[@GTseven]

We are seeing Jay Leno at the top of his game here. Thanks Dan for preserving these outstanding moments in comedy and TV history!

[@dongiller]

Dan, Don… Thanks!

[@davidfranksis8127]

Ppp p

[@cynthiahusband106]

Don don’t know you but I love you putting these shows together letterman and Leno I enjoy them so much you are wonderful for having put all of this together. Thank you ❤️

[@brooke8567]

Yeah thanks Dan!

[@richardyoon4209]

My favorite part of this video is when Dave calls out Jay for an old joke about being on an airplane and walking out. Then later on Dave tells a story and Jay comes back with 'How old is that story, huh?" It cracked Dave up.

[@daviddryden8088]

Letterman is notorious for not being easy to make laugh. Leno never had that problem. These two men need to do something together one more time before one of them kicks the bucket. I forgot how on fire Leno used to get on Letterman. Great to see the old clips again.

[@Augustmeurer]

Thank you so much for all your hard work putting these up

[@tjkinsella1111]

Thank you again Sir Don. Wanted to again (at the Thanksgiving holiday) thank you a thousand times over for sharing your very hard, very accomplished, and so very very very much appreciated library of Letterman. As much as some of us (sometimes) can't stand Sir Jay, the stuff with him and Dave gives all of us a reminder of 2 very talented friends making each other (and the audience) truly laugh.

[@dongiller]

Thanks! I might re-up Part 3 this week.

[@julierood1228]

Don, you've no idea how much I appreciate this. Thanks a million!

[@danieldineen875]

Llll

[@tubbytuba1]

Don...thank you for putting all these up here....who has the foresight to record every minute of every show in the universe, and then, over 30 years later, present it to an appreciative audience? Bravo, man! I have a new appreciation for Leno...such a consistently funny guy...and interesting to see the interplay between him and Letterman, and realize how they worked so well together, and seemed to genuinely like each other...and then...

[@dongiller]

Thanks! I certainly had no clue these tapes would have some value decades later. Or that there'd be the technology available to get them out there.

[@BigWickEnergy_]

And then what?

[@video2000_TV]

@@BigWickEnergy_ history

[@eemoogee160]

@@BigWickEnergy_ they had a long public feud

[@jonathanchang7742]

really? is it just me but i sense some early stages of animosity between the two. very subtle and easy to miss. but there are several points in several interviews where i can feel the tension. but the lights are on, the camera is rolling, and the show must go on. so they're always laughing, always smiling. but i see it. meh, or maybe i dont

[@everettsykes1774]

Thx for the great work compiling these! I needed a few laughs.

[@lillianfraijo6621]

Thanks for showing this. I used to love these two together back in the day.

[@ventisale1]

wow.... so incredibly interesting to watch this compilation (thanks for pulling it together) You can read so much into Dave's reactions to Jay... He is completely appreciative of his sense of humour, clearly, but also clearly put off by the whiff of arrogance that Jay projects.... Fast forward a few decades and the debacle of replacing the host of the Night Show and whatever relationship they had seems to have gone completely off the rails.

[@js2010ish]

Yeah the jokes aren't far from Dave's sense of humor, but sound so hollow coming from Jay

[@notreya]

sorry to reply so late but this is so true. you can kinda tell that even with most of these that were pre the tonight show war, letterman always only kinda "put up" with jay because even he has to laugh at how funny he was. But yeah everytime letterman just has no time for jay trying to promote 30 shows in 5 seconds and just tries to get through it all quick. you can also see the feeling is mutual with sometimes jay wasting time and stuff. really interesting

[@last7509]

he could smell that jay was using him. but for one if you have a comedian on you need him to go ballistic like jay. and this is how it works in that business. you're always looking to up end the other guys.

A long time ago, in a world far, far away...

[@DAJANEM99]

A completely different time.

[@jessdell1004]

Such a nice break from our current mess.

[@fishsquishguy1833]

I actually forgot how great Leno was back then! Thanks for putting this together!

[@gregwatson8219]

The legends

[@gleroyTullySAEHEYKID]

Subbed and liked. Giller, thanks for your hard work and dedicated archiving skills.

[@dongiller]

Thanks!

[@maitrikpatel6536]

I really appreciate all the work it took to gather all of these clips, and then organize them in such a professional way. Your editing skills make this a pleasant journey down memory lane.

[@billyb6001]

It's just shows how unfunny Jay was from the beginning.

[@phishphan49]

@@billyb6001 you're not wrong but cheers to the effort it took to compile the clips proving it. This fake laugh we see refined in these clips lasted Dave a career of not always the best guests every night... Jay sucks, but it's really nice to have an archive that demonstrates it so well, thanks to the uploader for the work.

[@antonvangrendel]

Great editing, yes, but too bad Leno blows goats. Always has. Always will.

[@HearBobbyRoar]

Oh do you? That makes me feel so much better about humanity when one person jokes about the future. Way to go. Especially when your analysis comes 25 years after the prophecy. Good job.

[@walthutton5058]

@@HearBobbyRoar G-

[@cindywhitaker2821]

Sure am enjoying these clips. Thank you!

[@judithcunningham3014]

this was so funny to watch, and brought back some great memories---loved Letterman and Leno together---thank you for putting this on You Tube--well done

[@TerryInUSA]

I don’t understand why people have a problem with Jay, a comedian, coming on the show and doing his comedy act. Instead of standing in front of a microphone doing his act, he does it sitting next to Dave. What exactly is it that you guys think he is not doing? He was paid to appear on the show and do his act as other comedians did.

[@vineetdodd9915]

That’s absolutely right. Rodney Dangerfield would do the same thing.

[@capablemachine]

Jay never did a comedy special but these appearances one after another are our substitute.

[@dongiller]

He did a few, actually.

[@briansounalath]

I fell asleep and all these Jay Leno on Letterman videos kept playing. I kept waking up and being like, "woah young Jay Leno and he's kinda edgy." Real talk, I never knew he was this funny! His own talk show really softened him up.

[@kellywatts248]

Jay is actually bomb. How are you ?

[@briansounalath]

@@kellywatts248 pretty good thanks. too bad he got himself canceled years ago

[@jeneraljax29]

I think it's different when you have to write new jokes every single night.

[@rhondaavery7766]

thank you for the video.

[@johnsjohnson448]

Dave's cackle added to the laughs of Jay's great observational comedy. Pure gold. Just like Don's work and great clip choices. Thanks for sharing.

[@JosephChecke]

There really seemed to be a brotherly vibe between them in these days, with Dave genuinely enjoying his younger "brother", and letting Jay do his thing. Dave usually limits himself to teasing, but friendly comments. I'm enjoying this video more than I thought I would.

[@chonconnor6144]

It sort of informs the late night wars and why they were so personal. As someone only old enough to know 90s Leno and Letterman, I had no idea how regularly Leno appeared on Late Nite.

[@scoobydo6643]

They both lived together in L.A.just getting started in the business.

[@MagnumMike44]

Great video! I've always liked Jay Leno and it's good to see him with David Letterman before he became the Tonight Show host.

[@kellywatts248]

I really appreciate all the work it took to gather all these amazing clips, and then organize them in such a professional way. How are you ?

[@katherinehunter9526]

Hearing Jay Praise the Cosby Show back then was interesting to hear in 2022. I wondering what he would be saying about Bill now? I also cringed when he dissed NASA putting a Teacher into space, considering what happened to that flight! May that crew rest in Peace after being so violently taken on that fateful voyage, whilst millions of people witnessed that unspeakable tragedy. 🙏 Thanks for sharing these old shows with Leno "Mr.Comedy "on the Letterman show! Bwahahah.🥳 O3.18.22

[@last7509]

but did you see bill do anything? and that teacher is alive and well by the way

[@katherinehunter9526]

@@last7509 Oh and Earth is Flat Too! Bwahahah! Riiiight! Can I interest you in buying some Swamp Land in North Canada! Give over, last! 🤯🧠💥

[@mikepetitti]

First, @Don Giller - great work putting these together. Awesome stuff. Second, I always thought this was Leno and Letterman at their respective peaks AND as genuine friends. Both were very, very funny before the late night succession war.

[@tscully1504]

I never saw these at the time, and am pretty taken aback at how funny Jay was then. Only saw him much later on his talk show.

[@sidobeef]

#25 at 2:01:56 is hillarious. Laughed out loud. The man was a total joke machine and clearly had worked to make every appearance memorable.

[@fettesteil1401]

The difference between Leno and letterman is that letterman seems genuine and Leno is an act.

[@bugzy_9198]

I proffered Leni over Letterman. Unfortunately today we don't have those options just a bunch of garbage pushing an agenda. Miss the good old days. I'd take the top 10 over what we have today.

[@marypatton1122]

Yes but it is a genuine act Leno has.

[@Tommah1000]

Agree. The natural setting of a conversation where the interviewer sits behind an office desk facing the same direction as the interviewee demands genuine!

[@ohthehumanity6774]

And? He's worth $450 million today. Oh. It's an "act." No good. LOL

[@warntheidiotmasses7114]

Leno isn't even funny. It's like he's trying to do some crappy act.

[@LyghtWaves]

In that first part it feels like Jay is interviewing Letterman lmao "Ya seen this movie?" "Ya following the olympics?"

[@brycemcneil4404]

It's because of Leno's Letterman appearances that I still frequently open a conversation (jokingly of course) with "Have we seen this? Have we seen this?..."

[@last7509]

he was auditioning for his job. and dave kind of senses this

[@honuman39]

Leno really was a funny sharp polished act back then. The problem is that he comes across only as an act. It makes sense to me now that he knew how to game the system to be successful but it also seems clear that he was incapable of being genuine. It would've been interesting to see him stop the shtick and just have a conversation with Letterman. Dave's band was super tight.

[@Creapture]

his car show is about as genuine as it gets too

[@Ditka-89]

I agree, it would be nice to see Jay talk without being “on”. God knows how those two, each with their own unique maladaptations and personality defects, converse with one another behind closed doors. Weird to think they were great friends prior to the late show fallout.

[@js2010ish]

Yes a good word for it is "hack"

[@Ditka-89]

@@js2010ish some of the best comedians of all time have said how annoying it is that so many people view Leno as a hack, when in reality he’s one of the best stand up comedians to ever live. If you havnt seen his actual standup in a club, then you don’t actually know how funny Leno is. The crap you see on the tonight show and tv is not Leno’s best material-he doesn’t do his best, or even his good material, when he does tv. Letterman, Norm Macdonald, and many other “comedians comedians” will be the first to say he’s one of the funniest comics to ever live

[@phishphan49]

@@Creapture it still feel like he's putting on an act. I've never seen leno display convincing human emotion and it's unnerving.

[@mikearenas4605]

Dave is the friend you go to for advice and jay is the friend you hang with to forget your problems.

[@SLAWDOGUSBRAND]

Mos def!! Lol! Best ever!

[@LizaFan]

Fuck no to both of these statements.

[@Mario_N64]

Damn, Leno had an amazing comeback for audience groaning at around 1:02:00... Imagine the amount of heckling he had to endure when he was younger. He did work his ass off.

[@SandraLovesSun]

"Damn? Amazing?" He didn't even say whether he had a comeback to the actual audience in the past of which he was speaking.

[@SandraLovesSun]

That's because he isn't all that funny.

[@Mario_N64]

@@SandraLovesSun He became a hack in the late 80s, but early in the Letterman show he was genuinely funny.

[@Mario_N64]

@@SandraLovesSun He referred to that gasping or groaning as childish stuff you did in elementary school. That was the joke.

[@johnarnold893]

@@SandraLovesSun boo hoo for you.

[@cynthiahusband106]

God I love Jay Leno his comebacks are quick intelligent and funny as hell, love him.

[@RaulGroom]

It's interesting how personal humor is. I watched this entire video and never laughed once, yet Leno has made millions of people laugh for years. Viva la difference!

[@cockanus297]

@CitiZEN CAT Leno sucks lol

[@veritasmagnum668]

Yes I was thinking that as well.

[@cactusdragon3553]

If you didn't like it why watch the whole thing?

[@barryallen871]

He maid millions from having a milquetoast Tonight Show for like twenty years, not from his comedy. Although this was far funnier than any of that... you just don't get the references.

[@RaulGroom]

@@barryallen871 lol im 45 I lived through all of this i just don't find Leno funny

[@CJIG22]

Sadly, the qualified teacher mentioned in 45:10, Christa McAuliffe didn't make it back down.

[@mikegerardi7213]

Loooong before the hatred began. Thanks for the upload!

[@derrikferguson3219]

Jay comes on and starts doing a monologue.

[@rockyevans1584]

Yeah he's about as one note as they come

[@thegoodthebadandtheugly579]

That’s why he got the job and Letterman never managed to do one until the end of his career.. which was much earlier before he retired..

[@rockyevans1584]

@@thegoodthebadandtheugly579 good for him, cant understand how anyone ever watched him

[@thegoodthebadandtheugly579]

@@rockyevans1584 letterman? Yeah, me too..

[@rockyevans1584]

@@thegoodthebadandtheugly579 i didnt say i was a letterman fan or hater, but i guess leno fans lack some sort of crucial brain function. That makes sense to me

[@RD3D-1]

48:21 That 7-11 store thing had me in tears. One of his best moments.

[@petejameyson8775]

mnm r rrr f r mnm mnm ,f r c r mnm. C f r r r d r mnm r mm n. r h8y0yiy8y8y8y8y8gy88y8y8y89888y8y8708yy8y08y00cy

[@DeedeeandtheBeebee]

Man its gold

[@whatdoiput807]

The junkies eating mallomars part is a George Carlin bit from at least 7 years earlier. "Can't get them in the store, they line up at the truck for the mallomars." Fuck Jay Leno.

[@johnarnold893]

@@whatdoiput807 ahhhh, boo hoo for you. If you hate him so much why did you watch this?

[@whatdoiput807]

@@johnarnold893 because I like letterman cap'n. And fuck Jay Leno.

[@joshportnoy8102]

If Dave ever has Jay on My Next Guest, the internet would explode

[@That60sGuy]

Woooooweeeee!!! Funny as all get out. I saw Leno here in Memphis in '83. He was definitely at the top of his game back then.

[@mattkaustickomments]

19:18 Dave spittin straight facts. He was trying to tell us way back when.

[@jonathanbrown7250]

His interns can't say they weren't warned

[@billyraybar]

Most people don’t realize that Jay Leno was the best standup comedian at the time - All comedians during that time felt the same way.

[@crashburn3292]

Long before Jay found his Levi shirt.

[@ModMokkaMatti]

But well after his chin found him.

[@soniaperusse2223]

Fabulous...Thank you!

[@mr.seanster]

Jay Leno was really good. Dave and Jay had really good chemistry. Love to see them have a special together. Netflix special with the two of them would be epic.

[@misslovechild22]

YES TO THIS

[@inrainbowman]

sounds gay to me

[@leaffinite2001]

Somethin makes me think it wouldnt happen

[@DrPepperZZZ]

Cool video of Dave uncomfortably trying to interview Jay during his stand up act.

[@dongiller]

_Every_ comic did their stand-up act while at home base.

[@DrPepperZZZ]

@@dongiller wait, so Letterman's show is Leno's home base? I've seen comedians conversate during an interview instead of just perform.

[@dongiller]

@@DrPepperZZZ “Home base” here means sitting in a guest chair. Practically every comic who panels (another word for “home base”) essentially does their act. Leno was no exception, nor did he stand out for doing what everyone else did.

[@MrGarysugarman]

@@dongiller Jay had a chemistry with Dave similar to Rickles with Carson. I don't remember seeing other comics on Late Night doing that, nor others on Carson. And I love the "just perform" attempted snub. I guess they'd be satisfied if Dave did a Barbara Walters with Jay in hopes of bringing a tear or two to his eyes.

[@dennispearson9287]

This Phenomenal Compilation Allowed Me To Binge On Continuous JOY 😂!!!...

[@tubor70]

There was almost nothing better on TV when Jay would come on. Dave would let him just rip and Jay was young, hungry and sharp. These appearances helped him get the guest hosting job on the Tonight Show after Garry Shandling walked away from it.

[@finnibertlunchiken7792]

Thomas Hill I didnt know Garry Shandling was in line to take the show. He was always a great host. Never saw him on Letterman.

[@kanealson5200]

Neither did I know that. Shandling would have been great.

[@all4Hisgloryalone2Tim215]

Im sorry but Jay as a comic is not funny.His shtick is not natural. He tries way too hard and is just not funny.

[@fattiemcfats9783]

@@all4Hisgloryalone2Tim215 Exactly

[@roscoejones4515]

Don must not have those shows, because these suck. Leno's equating volume with humor. In later years Dave would not have fake-laughed like he did here. Ugh.

[@StreamlineCarry]

The energy and talent Jay expresses in these clips shows why Bill Hicks was so mad at him for selling out. He had great material busting on the psycho corporations that were (and are) screwing this country sideways.

[@everettsykes1774]

I would love to see Hicks and Leno on the same venue.

[@erichaynes7502]

You're absolutely right!

[@jameshightower4665]

Hicks isnt funny

[@PlugInRides]

But Jay also shows that side that Dave grew to hate. Leno is not really interacting, or trying to play off Dave. Leno basically treats Dave like he is any generic talk show host, and Jay is just doing his monologue. In the end, Leno is off in his own world, and Letterman is nothing more to him than a prop. Compare this to any number of comedians Carson had on The Tonight Show. They played off each other, While Johnny was to often happy to play straight man, it was a collaborative effort. When Bill Hicks was on Letterman, you felt the same synergy. With Leno, it feels like Dave is irrelevant, like they were never friends, and Jay would be doing the same act on any show.

[@7beers]

@@PlugInRides agree 100 percent

[@calmbreeze9575]

He almost busted his ass in that motorcycle entrance 😂

[@prmaninla]

1:10:40 "there's something really suspicious about these soft cookies..." you can hear dave starting to laugh... cracks me up every time.

[@ChuckKahn]

1:11:11 Jay frequently parodied corporate ruthlessness back in the 80’s but that aspect of his humour disappeared when he softened all the edges to become a more corporate friendly Tonight Show host / Doritos shill. It’s funny all these comments from Jay haters working backwards from the premise that Tonight Show Jay was never funny and pointing to this collection of Jay in his 80’s comedic prime as evidence.

[@-Gunnarsson-]

Welcome to another episode of. Building Jay Lenos garage.

[@webexpertcharlie]

Jay was considered by his peers to be the master of stand up comedy in the Eighties. Once he got the Tonight Show, his act was considered to be “watered down” for middle America.

[@Dulcimerist]

Yeah, once the "stuffed shirts" at NBC got involved in Leno's work, he just gave up and decided to phone it in every night.

[@redacted2275]

Unfortunately Leno, together with Jon Stewart, opened the gates for all talk show hosts of today, mediocre at best. That doesn't mean they were bad, they were excelent in what they did, it's what came after that sucks. (Conan doesn't count, he is not from this generation of talk show hosts). Leno does stand up comedy to this day, I think. The guy loves what he does, no doubt about it. :)

[@jeneraljax29]

@@Dulcimerist wouldn't ever say he phoned it in at all

[@Dulcimerist]

@@jeneraljax29 Watch his later season monologues, where he'd often let out a sigh after a joke and say "what else" and then go on to the next joke. Just reading them off the cue cards like they were tedious hoops to jump through.

[@jeneraljax29]

@@Dulcimerist i mean, if you want to pick and choose specific episodes or a time frame that's fine but you can't say he phoned it in every night of his tonight show tenure.

[@thielees]

Leno demonstrates his “sit-down comedy” technique here

[@billyb6001]

I laughed even though I'm very angry that I don't get this joke

[@grahamrobins7411]

5:03 Olympics “How old is that story.” 1:08:52 love hearing Dave’s authentic laugh

[@Scottie404]

Like Bob Hope, Leno basically did his comedy routine instead of carrying on an interesting, amusing conversation.

[@editingmatters]

You're right but Leno was so quick back then that some of it was made up on the spot - as a response to Dave - but it's so sharp and witty that it sounds like it was lifted from a routine.

[@repomang]

Much like Rodney dangerfield

[@meyman9]

All the old comedians did bits from their standup back then.

[@nancyphillips7847]

So much like Robin Williams

[@jimharkins6257]

No interview - Just Jay doing his act. Very 80s.

[@birdmantd]

Same thing when Carson had guys like Dangerfield on. It benefited both. Raised Leno's profile. And Dave can take the segment off as opposed to booking some random celebrity who may or may not be entertaining.

[@BDreGaming]

Love how Jay sits down and basically does a monologue

[@randonceccoli8428]

I like Jay Leno but this is like a job interview. "Have You read this, have you heard about this". The guys the best at what he does but total robot - inability/unwillingness to genuinely connect thats why this "interview" is basically a Leno monologue. Jay Leno was the inspiration for Jimmy from South Park and they nailed it. Something real is going on and he tells a joke and says wow what a terrific audience and goes in to another joke.

[@toscodav]

Imagine that. A monologue from a comedian. So you don't feel a connection with Jay but you like him??? This is comedy not sensitivity training at a fat camp. Leno at his absolute best.

[@TheAmazingMrMcFlyy]

I have to say I almost admire that sense of showmanship and professionalism with Leno, he pulls it off, he's holding court, no one in comedy today is a real showman like this, they try to relate to the audience too much and when I go to comedy clubs most people don't even really have material, they just do crowd work which is lazy and almost cringe sometimes. This guy is a pro, he could go up on stage today and still kill with observational comedy,

[@doddsino]

Everything you criticized Leno for, I could easily apply to any of the big mainstream comedians from the 80's. This was the style... Seinfeld had a very similar setup for a very very long time.

[@misisipimike8020]

It’s what comedians did. Watch Rodney Dangerfield clips.

[@jbetnar]

@@doddsino Seinfeld never changed either.

[@nightsh1ft13]

The sheer look of disdain on Letterman’s face is awesome

[@brichards9293]

Letterman let Leno come on every month, they were really close during this time,

[@incaguaya]

You can see how Jay was auditioning to take Dave's job even in these early clips

[@winonafrog]

😅

[@taralamppa6529]

Wow! Jay and Robin Williams have the same energy and delivery during interviews. Although I appreciate them, I care for neither. Dave's subtle, dry, intelligent, self depreciating humor is far more attractive to me. Thank you Don for the uploads.

[@BDreGaming]

I remember watching Jay Leno do stand-up on Carson fairly often, and he was absolutely hysterical

[@misisipimike8020]

Loved seeing the WDSU TV 6 New Orleans logo pop up. That’s the channel I watched Letterman on as a kid. Videotaped from the night before of course....

[@thenoodler]

Comes out and goes immediately into his schtick.

[@darsure3006]

This is a really astute observation and kind of speaks to the type of worker he was. Not really funny, just a worker. I love when Dave calls him out on the tired old 'they were walking out' joke. Dave knows.

[@maitrikpatel6536]

48:21 That 7-11 store thing had me in tears. One of his best moments.

[@tdawg719]

Dudes not funny at all. Not tact or awareness

[@johntully8176]

I only made it to 2minutes

[@garylobo348]

I despise Leno. I love Letterman. There, I said it!

[@Nolimitss6]

Damn KZbin recommendations. Its painful watching this after the best of Norm on Letterman

[@topgun6981]

7:38 Dave’s laugh is coming straight from his gut 😂😂

[@east5871]

So far what I’m seeing is Leno winning The Tonight Show gig over Letterman right under Letterman’s nose.

[@east5871]

Alexander Martin Good point. How many times did Jimmy Fallon appear on letterman‘s show?

[@Mekrabb]

It is 100% obvious why NBC did what they did after watching these. And the ratings throughout proved it.

[@jbetnar]

@@Mekrabb Leno was a better ass kisser.

[@RS-ni3lj]

Leno wanted it more, he was a shrewd and ruthless operator behind the scenes.

[@MichelleUS66]

In the first couple of segments here, Jay goes on about evil twins in TV shows (as seen on Knight Rider, Magnum P.I., etc.). Two years after this, Jay had a late-night special called “The Jay Leno Show” (shown in SNL’s time-slot). Dave was a guest on the show, and he immediately got shot down after walking out and greeting Jay. The killer - shown for a split second in the flash from the gun - was Jay Leno wearing a fake mustache (with the caption “evil twin”). [Earlier in the special, Jay suggested that people record the show on their VCRs as things “will happen fast”. I did as instructed, so I’ve known about Jay’s evil twin killing Dave since 1986. It’s nice to finally learn where that gag had come from.]

[@Chrisdrumz]

1:07:30 "Celestial Funeral Pyre". When I first saw this and Leno said that it stuck with me. Always wanted to start a band and name it that.

[@leonardstilwell1894]

I think I just realized why Leno was a lackluster late night host. He has to be the center of attention in order to get that "can't take my eyes off him" quality Carson had with measured conversation and a timely look.

[@Dulcimerist]

Excellent and insightful point!

[@jeneraljax29]

"Lackluster" lmao #1 in the ratings for years

[@leonardstilwell1894]

@@jeneraljax29 Add 'in my opinion' before 'lackluster', if it helps. I understand my opinion is biased and subjective. It's also stated in a thread on a channel that's about everything Dave. I don't hate Leno, but I think as a late night host he lacked that indefinable magic *something* Dave and Johnny had and, I might add, *he* displayed in this collection, hence my use of "lackluster". Maybe could've used a better word, but there you go.

[@jeneraljax29]

@@leonardstilwell1894 fair enough

[@bsusak09]

Jay is the uncle you desperately want to shut up at Christmas dinner.

[@bhonest-gb5zg]

But enjoy and 😂 anyway

[@brocktonma.1816]

Leno knew the game inside and out.

[@ShrimplyPibblesA-]

It's so apparent looking back that Jay was so envious of David and never missed an opportunity to kick his legs out from underneath him throwing shade to steal his spotlight

[@edwardcollins539]

It's great to see Jay before he did the Tonight show and had to dummy down for the money controllers.

[@darsure3006]

@Brandon S He did standup while doing the tonight show? Um WHEN? He was doing a five-night-a-week show...when the fuck would he have time to tour? Citation needed.

[@mrpostnorts5259]

@@darsure3006 Every weekend and during his vacation time, I saw him twice during that time.

[@maynardferguson9599]

It's a pleasure to welcome, Mr. Next Tonight Show host!!!!

[@bluray2012ify]

Best video clip ever!!

[@bwilson774]

having been born in the late 80's it's always weird seeing clips of young touring comedian Jay Leno

[@etucker82]

Dave: Gee Jay, you really love those TV Guides. Jay: I love TV! Dave: So you have aspirations to be on TV? Jay: ..................No..........

[@samuelnazario7412]

You can sense the hidden rivalry between them. It’s so subtle you have to see it in hindsight.

[@eigobike3929]

I flew once with Nadia Comenic. Nobody was walking out. They were amazed.

[@markallen2984]

Leno gets a bunch of sort of revisionist criticism, but the fact is he was a damn good comic, and he kept Letterman in stitches more often than not

[@dentonfender6492]

Loved Leno, Carlin, and David Letterman, especially loved the 80's, the pinnacle of the American Democratic Republic. Been gradually going down hill ever since. Thanks for putting these old shows on. I worked so much back then, I did not see many of these late night shows. Had to get my sleep, and missed the greats. Now I'm making up for lost time.

[@js2010ish]

Ah yes the Iran Contra AIDS and crack era, such a simpler time 🙏🏼

[@NevadaBoss]

Amazing how funny Leno was in the 80s..saw him live back then & he did 2solid hours of the best standup I've ever seen..such a waste that he went to vanilla 'talk show' guy route. These are great posts..thks.

[@katlynklassen809]

He still has shows like that. Just his tv personality was blando. He has comedy for every room

[@-dash]

7:21 Lmao the star trek joke was actually very funny

[@therationalcenter667]

Leno was such a powerhouse and I've always thought Letterman had the best late night show. The two together is a gold mine. Leno and Norm Macdonald are my two favorite guests.

[@ryansproviero]

RIP Norm

[@johnsimon9455]

Well said

[@steveconn]

If Norm overdid his humor, Norm underdid his (lazy and insipid).

[@IPlayOneOnT.V.]

About 34:45 Letterman and Leno talked about comedian Emo Phillips. The first time I ever heard him I was listening to my local, regional radio station while driving home from work, and I laughed so hard I almost crashed my car into the boulevard.

[@jimreily7538]

Hahaha yes Emo Phillips is great, he's very underrated.

[@ClayLoomis1958]

At 48:20 Jay starts a comedy rant that may be the funniest sustained bit of comedy I've ever heard. Lasts about a minute and a half, concerns 7-11, and is just killer.

[@dannyshupp4103]

Hilarious!!!

[@84KingSt]

Watching all these appearances you start to realize Jay Leno would've never got the job on the Tonight Show without Letterman and the Late Show.

[@dongiller]

Late Night.

[@Onlythatfunkyshit]

@@dongiller Lol, yes, there would be no Jay without Letterman and Late Night.

[@rondobson1828]

Not that you would know it from his decades hosting the Tonight Show, but Jay Leno is one of the funniest comedians of all time.

[@atrulson]

I suppose someone can be a funny comedian but not be a funny person. Letterman was a lousy comedian, but a very funny person.

[@richcrane2661]

@J T ok jus like to go for thz,e,,,

[@Dsmurf2201]

Of all time?!

[@billwatkins9202]

@J T c

[@sooper1000]

Vvv

[@MonoverSusstereo]

I love both of these guys

[@MrRezRising]

Jay was a road warrior, he used to perform 300 nights a year on the road. Always had fresh material. Weird seeing him and Dave together after the whole blow up in the 90s.

[@joshboy88420]

thats because this was the 80s

[@MrRezRising]

@@joshboy88420 lol, ty, I should clarify: It's weird seeing them so friendly when we know what's coming up.

[@foxygrandpa1899]

It's funny looking back on these now and knowing just how much Leno wanted that job and the lengths he went to get it

[@davefox8948]

Say what you want. It’s pretty clear that Letterman loved Leno.

[@mrgreenjeans1794]

Forgot just how funny and sharp Jay was as a standup. No waste oxygen. Leno adlib among the best. Dave plays the perfect straightman and let's Leno run with his bit. KZbin post of Jimmy Walker from Good Times who had a role with a management company involved with both Leno and Letterman. He details how Dave made room for Jay as a semi regular guest, pitched Leno for the Tonight Show Monday hosting gig, rebuffed by Carson so Letterman flew to California making a personal pitch to Carson to hire Leno. Had no idea Letterman and Leno were that close. A shame how it fell apart years later.

[@bafflezbiz]

Wow, I don't remember Leno doing the wiseguy act. Hard to believe this is the same guy that had grandma tuning in to watch him play with kittens. And that was after her bedtime!

[@misisipimike8020]

Odd that between collection 1 & 2 the band played “(Everybody’s Got Something To Hide) Except Me & My Monkey” three separate times while going into commercial breaks. The only other Beatles song they played during these Leno appearances was also from the White Album (Glass Onion). Was Jay a deep cut late era Beatles fan? They also play lots of early Elvis for obvious reasons,