Last night ( May 29 ) was the final show of The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
His final monologue was filled with thanks to many people, Monica Lewinsky, Michael Jackson, and Bill Clinton – and to reflect on how much time has passed since he first took over the stage from his mentor Johnny Carson in 1992.
"When we started this show," Leno told a cheering crowd in the standing-room-only studio in Burbank, "my hair was black and the president was white. When we started the show, Jon and Kate were both eight."
Leno noted that the same security guard who has checked him in for the last 17 years offered the same greeting as he drove a blue Corvette onto the studio lot Friday night: "And you are?"
After Friday's taping, Jay had done 3,775 shows as host of Tonight Show with Jay Leno.
In closing, which he called, "the hard part," Leno reflected on the good and the bad of the last 17 years, including Sept. 11, 2001.
"When times are serious, you make silly jokes. When times are silly, you make serious jokes. But you always want to have jokes," he said. "That's what we've been trying to do for the last 17 years – make you laugh. And it's been an honor and a privilege to do that."
I have been a Tonight Show fan since Johnny Carson. I laughed and laughed at all the comedy routines they did ( now most times I would have to keep it down because I actually snuck downstairs after bed time to watch it ).
Johnny was the best. Plain and Simple. Leno is a very close second place . It may be arguable, but Johnny Carson was the King of Late Night TV.
I had the opportunity to see a taping of the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on September 11, 2000. And it was a very cool experience. What is unique about the show is that it is taped in one hour , regardless of mistakes, bloopers and what have you. It's all done. I remember the guests were Geraldo Riviera ( yeah I know... who??? ), some chick from WESTWING , and musical guest was Al Green ( Take me to the River ). It was cool to watch.
Anyway. Back in 1992, the final episode with Johnny Carson was a tear jerking show. Having hosted the show for close to 30 years, many people were wondering who would be brave enough to fill in those big shoes. Replacing an icon like Johnny Carson and being successful is a lot of pressure. But Jay did it. He went in No 1 on NBC and is leaving No 1. Well done. I loved The Tonight Show.
So. Who is the new host? Conan Obrien. I am not a big fan of his so will have to wait and see.
Conan has a new studio at Universal and Jay's was at NBC studios in Burbank and I am thinking he will get to keep that one for his new Prime time show coming in September.
I look forward to seeing the new show and hope it is as successful as The Tonight Show was.
Just doing some blog-hopping before getting my supper on the go. Hope you've been having a nice weekend. 
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