Jay Leno on Late Night w/ David Letterman (early 1980s)

[@jimreadey4837]

This is great... _thank you._ Forty years ago, I recorded this very spot from off my 13" b&w Magnavox TV, onto my cassette player, using only its external mic. For whatever reason, it was one of the recordings I would listen to every night, after that, to help me fall asleep -- for a couple of years. I knew every word, pause, laugh, etc. then, and -- listening back, just now -- still knew every inch of this interview. It's not like it came back to me... it is just so etched into my brain, it feels like it's always been right here. I *did* just re-discover why I've been saying, "Well, that's a bit unorthodox, but..." all these decades, for a quick laugh. Hadn't consciously realized (for a while) I had stolen it from Leno. (4:18)

[@noosh6049]

did you record it on Beta?

[@_CE53]

Overbite vs Underbite: The Talkshow

[@zoranpetrovski3514]

I just wanted you to know that you made a killer call, lol'd like crazy.

[@marcnehren5706]

+Zoran Petrovski Me too. That was hilarious!

[@Mrkevi123]

dyingg!! In an alternate universe these two hosted the tonight show together.lol

[@LRS905]

In average, they have perfect bite.

[@carlosanaya4149]

CE53 that’s fucked up 😂😂😂

[@eisenjeisen6262]

Letterman and Leno they both can hold your attention very good i like i'm both.

[@hfelton]

They had such great chemistry back then, before their professional rivalry arose. Leno was always funny during his guest appearances with Dave.

[@josephkelley8641]

Was in grad school, NYC when these great Jay appearances took place. Was loading trucks at UPS, 42nd and 9th Avenue - in order to pay for school. Couldn't see the show in person.

[@bigkj2.027]

A young jay

[@danb6838]

Before Letterman turned into a complete Egotitical JERK!

[@pauldeveaux1517]

I had forgotten how quick, smart and funny Leno was back in the day.

[@joeybigler9413]

Leno was solid in the late 70's and early 80's.

[@kindface]

Leno basically stole the show from Letterman here. He just kept the jokes rolling while Letterman didn’t seem to have any answer but just try to rein Leno in with questions about his roadshow schedule.

[@juzoli]

@@kindface That would’ve been a mess. His job is to ask good questions, and make the guest talk and entertain. It is an easy job with Jay Leno, but I’m happy he didn’t try to out-joke him.

[@doninmichigan]

He could mop the floor with Letterman, all Dave could do would be sit there with that goofy grin. 🤪

[@krisscanlon4051]

He was on like every other week in the first few years of Late-night

[@TheRamsesII]

The irony of Jay telling Dave how he's not one of these guys with a desk job (however he said it) lol

[@TeddyPatrickS]

TheRamsesII Wasn’t an irony then

[@joeskis]

Yeah but Jay continued to stay with his roots of comedy clubs during and after his show.

[@gavinbrando8255]

There was a venom there that expressed Jay's burning ambition

[@FoxMcCloudFF7]

Wow Jay Leno on a David Lettermen show, if they only knew the future!

[@ArmandoOriz_]

What happens?

[@pulle88]

yeah, like the future we live in now.... where every host got TDS and turned their shows into a political dumps. any sane person would take David and Jay over the turds like kimmel, corden, colbert... puke!

[@psilva2462]

@@ArmandoOriz_ Google it

[@peopleskarmasquad1042]

I love it when Jay and Dave were good friends. They were so good playing off each other.

[@busterbiloxi3833]

They still are. The feud is fake, all done to increase interest and ratings.

[@OneDeepDegree]

Best KZbin I've seen all month. Fantastic upload! I hope you have more gems 💎

[@willrothfuss8470]

Watching this on the day Letterman announced his retirement. Amazing how little Letterman has changed. (And Leno, for that matter). You could close your eyes and it could be 30 years later.

[@angelasanchez6941]

I love watching these old shows I grew up watching

[@Eiraart]

At at 71 Jay still does comedy clubs - a true legend

[@steveconn]

Jay just brings joy. Such a nice thing.

[@followthesun2115]

Loved Jay in the early days. Naturally hilarious.

[@BlaccEagle]

I don't get how there is so much hate for Jay. He's really funny and a great guy, he was always a friend to other comedians and he loved doing the Tonight Show.

[@jimboj2068]

I agree!!! He's always interesting to listen too.. and never too too risky to embarrass you sitting with kids or your mother..... that's my op.

[@MaartenvanRossemLezingen]

The reason people hate him is cause he fucked over Conan. But people take it a little too far and completely denounce everything he's ever done. I mean I love the Conan Show but I still watch Jay Leno's garage and I don't lie about not finding this bit pretty funny.

[@albertdesigncompany6964]

Wrong. NBC fucked Conan...Leno helped(like he did w/ Letterman). Conan signed a 5 year extension for Late Night & NBC promised he'd be the next Tonight Show host. In 2004, NBC gave Leno 5 more years before the Conan switch. It was Leno's turn to hand the baton, but he wouldn't let go. Leno knew Conan couldn't just go back to his old show, they already gave it to Fallon. The petty shit Leno did polarized the audiences of Late Night/Tonight Show, making them choose sides-which obviously hurt ratings. If some advertisers "threaten" to pull out, you don't cancel the show, you FIND NEW ADVERTISERS! They never gave Tonight Show w/ Conan the chance to find its audience.

[@jivet3919]

He kicked Johnny Carson out, kicked Dave out (who wanted to take Carson’s place, who carson wanted to take his place) and then kicked conan around. The dude backstabbed his way to the top

[@sachah2400]

Conan was never a true Star. Just a decent host.

[@yugen]

Mark Hamill on Jay Leno: " You remember Leno on Dave’s original show? That guy would absolutely kill. Nobody could touch him. He was the funniest, most biting and sarcastic person. “What’s my beef, Dave?” and he’d pull out a TV Guide and just read descriptions. He was much more edgy than he had to be to appeal to middle America." Hamill was so obsessed with Letterman that he'd record and catalog the episodes. He actually had to quit watching talk shows because it was such an obsession.

[@jimreily7538]

Dallas Van Winkle What an interesting comment, thanks so much for this: where does that quote actually come from, like, what source? And I agree that Leno is hilarious here but he sacrificed, and this is only my opinion, his edge and biting humor for blandness and mainstream appeal. Sad really. Thanks again!

[@RogerBarraud]

@@jimreily7538 Blame the Network... ...and perhaps Johnny being a bit too parental in the edge-monitoring dept?

[@waynej2608]

Hamill was really onto something there. Leno was at his best on Letterman.

[@kevinm9]

Thank you Nick depaolo for leading me here

[@youknowbetter1509]

Same. 😄

[@ResurrectionRefuge]

8:58 Aww, so this is how the rivalry started lol.

[@snaggletoothrnr]

this was great thanks for posting

[@oblivionzzzmike]

I just realized...Jay's lower and David's upper jaws complement each other

[@ncktyu]

upper jaw?

[@oblivionzzzmike]

Yes upper jaw...or mouth roof...or maxilla if you want it in medical terms. But what is your point? If any...

[@zufgh]

oblivionzzzmike Well I think he wants you to explain it further...

[@antred11]

complement

[@oblivionzzzmike]

thanks

[@formoftherapy]

Holy..Leno actually looks BETTER now than he did back then...He really grew into that chin.

[@rehan2118]

lol chin

[@rehan2118]

@W W what's with the emojis?

[@brianandlynphilippines]

@@rehan2118 🐔💩

[@rehan2118]

@@brianandlynphilippines very clever

[@habeats]

I love that they laught together! :)

[@pettypettywoodchuck2]

Oh this was during that week hell froze over.

[@Musettoblu]

only thing i was able to think through the whole interview: HAIR!

[@mikejackson3028]

I think a lot of people forget that Dave had been on a decade with his own show and if NBC had given him the Tonight Show, Dave would have wanted a lot more money. Jay on the other hand was at the time THE permanent guest host for when Carson was on vacation, a "job" that ended when Carson was gone. Jay was very familar with Carson's audience and they with Jay and he knew how to keep the status quo going. Either way it was a damned if you do, damned if you don't decision. Plus though today you hear about how Jay has no manager, at the time he had Helen Kushnick who single-handly was ruthless in getting not only Jay the job (probably cheaper for NBC than Dave would have been), but also was so ruthless strong-arming agents to not let guests come on TTS with Jay if they went on any other show first. This pissed off so many people that she lost her job with NBC after a few months and Jay had to fire her because NBC would have fired Jay if he didn't. It was very, very ugly. Me I was always in the Dave camp, but it probably couldn't have worked out better for all involved.

[@ki6eki]

When Jay and David actually liked each other

[@wes11bravo]

These guys were both in their prime back then. Jay Leno was so much funnier when he didn't have his own writer's room.

[@mxskmg4]

the earlier 80's must have been a great time to be a weird af looking comedian

[@CoreyT127]

Most comedians were/are goofy looking. Are there any who aren't funny looking? Not any good ones i can think of. That's why they became funny. To combat getting picked on for their looks. Have them laugh with you not at you.

[@brianepstein8624]

I'm getting a Paul McCartney v. John Lennon vibe.

[@Turbine68]

Make me into a Beetle-Borg jay Leno.

[@Centrinario]

Jay was actually quite amusing here. The thing is, what's considered funny today and what was funny in the 80's is not the same thing.

[@AnneLiesveld]

More joy between then in a ten minute clip than in 20 years (and you think I am kidding)

[@charleswinokoor6023]

I noticed they bleeped out the Hyatt hotel name. Years back when I first watched this on KZbin it was still intact.

[@IMaDEM0N]

the "Wacky Duo" is a shot at Penn & Teller

[@negationf6973]

I wished I grew up in the 80's. Not that I found either of these guys funny here, but there seemed to be a sort of "magic" that the world has lost since sometime in the 90's. I can't really describe it, unfortunately.

[@bratton79]

Joseph F I grew up in the 80s and 90s. This was before viral videos, before social media, before the internet even existed. So tuning in to David Letterman at night was special. The age of the geek is impressive to be sure, but having limitless information at your fingertips has made life rather boring.

[@galdylan]

Indeed hard to describe. Television was just better. You don't have LA law anymore. You don't have different strokes which I consider to be in the 5 best sitcoms ever. Dallas. You will never have something like Dallas today. It's before "reality" shows. Nothing realistic there. Before cables. You had 3 major networks. If something's good then everyone will get to see it or hear about it. A different era. The best decade for television. Television will never be the same. It's something completely different today

[@ytubeanon]

old comment, but you're absolutely right, was born in 1975 and feel like it was the optimal time to catch all the magic of the 80's and 90's, the magic did continue in the 90's although in a different edgier form (btw still coming through today in modern comic book movies which were based on 90's source material) which manifested in stuff like Nirvana, etc... the internet is great, but it's like instant ubiquitous knowledge removed the critical 'unknown/uncertainty' ingredient in the magician's trick and also homogenized artists too much.

[@straightgangsta1655]

It's probly the gays' fault

[@tempo869]

Negation F television has become a lot more scripted and less genuine due to money grubberss

[@coololds85]

I'm gonna miss jay, tv

[@hyzercreek]

4:05 he had an antique motorcycle collection. Now grown to 4 wheelers.

[@dancasty8159]

if you knew anything about their relationship, you'd know that until jay took over the tonight show, him and david were actually good friends, that's why jay was a regular on late night.

[@rodgeraarons8997]

Aw. Friend goals.

[@ski4life19]

This was good comedy back in the day, people were laughing... he did his job. He wasn't writing jokes for people 30 years in the future, he was writing them for the audience that was present.

[@martiwest2594]

Yeah but see what’s happening here? He may have written for a different demographic And but they were great jokes were hilarious 10:21 and commentary jokesenough to stand the test of time how many other comedians can actually say thattrutthfully??

[@surewhynot6040]

Leno was brilliant at this time.

[@kellycoleman715]

He mentioned Joker’s club in Oklahoma City. When I lived there in the late 70’s my goofy buddies and I would would be on the front row egging him on every time he was in town. Years later when he was hosting the Tonight Show, he said that Joker’s was his favorite comedy club back in the day.

[@edancoll3250]

1:42 Take a goddamn sip already!!

[@charliethethird624]

Edan Coll Ive seen this on TONS of talk shows. Theyll pick their mugs up and not even drink out of it. why is that?

[@charliethethird624]

Muteb Asiri that doesnt answer my question. i didnt ask what they were drinking

[@edancoll3250]

Muteb Asiri Jesus, dude, calm down.

[@charliethethird624]

foreal. if it happened once it would be "well never mind im not thirsty" but i see it all the time...lol just take a sip already

[@bigniggaog8338]

+Muteb Asiri nigga you look fruitier than the tooty frooty toucan

[@TheUnicorn2004]

Jay ran the whole interview

[@adamf34]

Right into the ground.

[@yugen]

Go watch your "hot teen twerk" playlist ya loser

[@jshepard152]

That's what stand up guys do on talk shows....perform their act from the couch.

[@Gitfiddle]

Jay was such a talented stand up.

[@grioulaloula8594]

It did help that he was funny looking, as well.

[@gridly10]

Nah

[@Ray-nk7ky]

what a talentless hack, he has no material of his own

[@mikefinetti1827]

Y

[@joeybigler9413]

@@Ray-nk7ky he was completely original in the 70's and early 80's.

[@alanspurlock]

i wish i had the stones to wear my hair like those guys.

[@JMcC64]

Leno was so quick witted in his day. No Robin Williams, but still. I remember hearing him on NPR doing National Press Club luncheon in '91. Afterwards they aired the Q&A from the press. He'd take a question and run with it. Off the cuff hilarious. Sharp as a tack.

[@talleyberry]

Jay reminds me very, very much of that Kyle Mooney character on Weekend Update. Bruce Chandling! Uncanny.

[@pandaroc1]

jay ur the best!

[@promontorium]

I wish I could have gone to New York before they made it family friendly. I wish I could have seen the Time Square that rivaled biblical dens of sin. Now it's just Disneyland with more ads and less rides.

[@mrdorfy]

Hellz bellz, yeah! I'm not all that old, but NYC was slowly being cleaned up when I was able to go into the city on my own. I do remember the dirtier, sinful NYC. But, yes yes yes, I would love to have seen that NY.

[@gc3k]

It's nice that NYC is relatively safer now, but I'm disgusted by what it's become

[@waynej2608]

@@gc3k Yes. It has lost it's cool edge. Bummer. It used to be great!

[@manuelwolff_intlcomedian]

whoa, the hair!

[@TheGreek43]

Idk why but Jay reminds me of a looney toon.

[@Steve_305]

Bugs Bunny?

[@RogerBarraud]

Mac Tonite.

[@pronemanoldbutyoung5548]

Louis CK did a funny bit to Leno about looking unreal 😂

[@onazram1]

Jay is a great guy and genuinely very funny..

[@sierralvx]

The hair, ohmygod!

[@ViewTube_Emperor_of_Mankind]

So young... I feel old

[@asthmaenthusiast]

So much polite laughter from Letterman.

[@luky05loser]

love the book prop segment. I can see why they gave him the tonight show now.

[@elcamino5145]

Even then he had already started his antique motorcycle collection

[@nathanforester5993]

Ah, Jay during his John Travolta cosplay phase.

[@Dane3p]

Damn Letterman's single stroke roll on the desk was pretty good lol

[@APOCALYPSE_X-MEN]

I think it was his stand up routine in the comedy clubs back then.

[@rd812]

They were actually a good team back in the day.

[@natalieps2387]

Its crazy that leno and letterman were the best of friends going back to being up and comers at the comedy store who knew that two best friends would become in a bitter fued over the tonight show less than 10 yrs from this appearance

[@Marklar-fg9sn]

Leno and Richard Lewis appearances on letterman were epic

[@tobinbryan]

wow these guys were like best friends... so sad to see this and now today

[@pettypettywoodchuck2]

"Dave, lets agree to be friends forever!" lol

[@entubaotraducciones272]

Thanks

[@terrywright8731]

Back when Leno had energy was very sharp and very funny.

[@ytugtbk]

Can't believe how much time they would give some guests back then.

[@peoplebusinessmovie]

fixed-- thanks for the heads up!~

[@PoetPlays]

I don't know how many people saw the Larry Sanders Show, which was a "mockumentary" of a late night host. One of the story arcs they did was of a comedian (David Spade) appearing on Larry's show, and the producers loving him so much that he ultimately was set to replace Larry without Larry's knowledge. I can't help but think that this MUST have been making a jab at Leno appearing on Letterman and ultimately "replacing him" as the choice for the Tonight Show host. On the Larry Sanders Show, the character is very excited and not concerned at all on camera, but furious about the situation behind the scenes. At the end of the day, it would be so interesting to see the truth and hear the actual opinions of those involved, regardless of public opinion. What Letterman truly upset like some news outlets reported at the time? Was there anything underhanded about what went on?

[@BenCulture]

Although David Spade did appear on _The Larry Sanders Show,_ the storyline you're thinking of involved Jon Stewart.

[@margaretseddon4653]

Poet Plays Jay Leno he shoots and he scores!!!

[@123987username]

theeee crimmmsooon chiiiiiiinnn

[@art8729]

If only this guys can see the future

[@farshidkhorasani9346]

That was great .

[@josephkelley8641]

Dave and Jay are priceless together. Apart not so much.

[@josephkelley8641]

apart they'll rip each other from limb to limb.

[@JimSVoit]

Jay Leno......Say When-O he finally retires, please!

[@mariiiiii55]

I can't wrap my mind around him being an actual human. And his voice. Oh God. Aghhhhhh.

[@BryanBetz]

I feel like he did pretty well actually here, I enjoyed listening/watching Leno which I cannot say honestly if I listen/watch him today.

[@snipe420]

1:30 how prophetic

[@Greghouse]

OMG Leno with hair ! :-O

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales7218]

James Douglas Muir Leno (New Rochelle, 28 de abril de 1950), conocido como Jay Leno, es un presentador de televisión y humorista satírico estadounidense. Fue el presentador del histórico programa The Tonight Show de la cadena NBC, entre 1992 y 2014, sucediendo en el puesto a Johnny Carson y entregándole el puesto a Jimmy Fallon.[1]​ Tiene en su haber un Premio Emmy.

[@Spydiggity]

brilliant

[@MusicbyWordPlay]

Looking at the thumbnail for this video and even now watching it I can't help but think about Louis C.K.'s bit on Leno's show where he jokes about if a victim of a crime tried describing Leno's face to a police sketch artist, the sketch artist would think it's some kind of prank.

[@bradleylovej]

That's brutal 🤣

[@felixthelmocevallosmorales7218]

David Michael Letterman 12/04/1947 74 años (75)

[@RussDaniel]

I'm growing my hair out like Leno.

[@Zajkos211]

People look so funny in the '80.

[@Ciciulins]

Michal T. They were happy :)

[@LordMarlle]

That's why they had careers. I mean who would laugh at this

[@jorgensenmj]

Yep. That was the last time real comedy existed.

[@jhqw7u676yfw143t]

1:54 I laughed out loud at the comedy club named phrrt!

[@Redheadedgolem]

I believe the censored hotel name is Berkshire Place. Guests on the show stayed there, and they would run ads referring to it as a "Dunphy Classic", which is what Dave says that gets a laugh.

[@sorryaboutthatchief9094]

Leno looks and sounds like a cartoon character and I think he's pretty much coasted on those talents for the entirety of his career. I don't blame him because it's made him wealthy as a king. Dave might not be 'the hardest working man in show business' but he can make the claim to being a true wit as well as looking and sounding funny.

[@IndecisionTelevision]

I mean, whenever any comedian talks about leno they talk about how he was the best hands down, during that Era at least, so I don't think that holds water.

[@cooldoctormoney]

Patton Oswalt - "Comedians who don't like Jay Leno now, and I'm one of them, we're not like, 'Jay Leno sucks;' it's that we're so hurt and disappointed that one of the best comedians of our generation... willfully has shut the switch off."

[@captaino16]

They have a race in Austin now, boy how times have changed. That's the only thing about this interview that has changed...

[@galvanchristian]

omg Leno's head shape is very similar to a sideway banana >.

[@stormin300]

Geez, I remember this! What ever became of him?

[@sira.scottascot8865]

I forgot how good he was back in the day.

[@KabatDaniel]

This video is such a mindfuck! Letterman both moves and acts like he does today.. but he even sounds the same! Yet its 30 years ago

[@saskewoo]

Those haircuts are awesome!! xD

[@jaggass]

God Jay Leno was really young then. He almost sounds the same today.

[@pfriz]

Newsflash...anyone who has lived long enough was REALLY YOUNG at some point.

[@chado3000]

Dave walks into a bar, sees Jay Leno and asks "Why the long face?"

[@tomperkins5657]

The guy is quick!!

[@ThisIsErdoS]

OH MY GOD THEIR HAIR... is almost as big as mine