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Why Jay Leno and David Letterman Hate Each Other
Popeater ^ | 1/27/10 | Mike Ryan

Posted on 01/27/2010 5:58:45 PM PST by Nachum

David Letterman looked like "either Dinty Moore or Paul Bunyan's son." Or so recalls Jay Leno from his 1996 book on his first meeting with Letterman in 1975. It was a fateful encounter that formed an initial partnership and friendship. But now, in retrospect, it's a tragic relationship in which the repercussions from the fallout between the two are still being felt 35 years later, changing late night television forever. And, unknowingly, altering the fate of a then-12 year-old boy living in Brookline, Massachusetts -- Conan O'Brien. Letterman, on a January 19 episode of Late Show, referred to Jay Leno in a discussion about the current late night television battle as "vintage Jay." What does "vintage Jay" mean, and why does Letterman feel this way? Allow us to break down exactly why Jay and Dave have come to despise one another, both in real life and for our television enjoyment.

(Excerpt) Read more at popeater.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: chat; david; jay; leno; letterman; lettermanthepimp; whitesoxletterman
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Interesting. First time I ever had sympathy for David Letterman. Politics aside, if Johnny Carson chose his show to make a cameo appearance and not Leno, he must have done something right.
1 posted on 01/27/2010 5:58:46 PM PST by Nachum
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To: Nachum

Well from recent stories I would say Letterman is a sleezebag at best. I don’t know enough about the other players to say.


2 posted on 01/27/2010 6:02:29 PM PST by Parley Baer
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To: Nachum

Sympathy?

Are we talking about the same David Letterman that joked about Sarah Palin being raped by a baseball player?


3 posted on 01/27/2010 6:02:54 PM PST by Ghost of Philip Marlowe (Prepare for survival.)
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To: Nachum

Sympathy?

Are we talking about the same David Letterman that joked about Sarah Palin’s daughter being raped by a baseball player?


4 posted on 01/27/2010 6:03:13 PM PST by Ghost of Philip Marlowe (Prepare for survival.)
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To: Nachum

RE :”Leno would often be booked as a guest on ‘Late Night with David Letterman’ but, as far as anyone seemed to know, that was the extent of their friendship through the 1980s”

I first saw Leno there on Lettermans 1am show in the early 80s ~ 1983 and he was funnier than Letterman, but Letterman had a cool cult humor show at the time and was funny.


5 posted on 01/27/2010 6:11:27 PM PST by sickoflibs ( "It's not the taxes, the redistribution is spending you demand stupid")
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To: Nachum

Jay Leno is a Real Man, a Great Human and a National Leader with Deep Seated Morals and Character combined with a Brilliant Intellect and Great Talent!! Letterman is NONE of the ABOVE! Letterman is a Prostitute who depends on his Mother for Joke Lines and Depends for his own Sanitation!:-)


6 posted on 01/27/2010 6:13:31 PM PST by True Republican Patriot (May GOD Continue to BLESS Our Great President George W. Bush!!)
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To: Ghost of Philip Marlowe
Are we talking about the same David Letterman that joked about Sarah Palin’s daughter being raped by a baseball player?

You know what, I had forgotten about that s@7t. That was unforgivable.

7 posted on 01/27/2010 6:15:15 PM PST by Nachum (The complete Obama list at www.nachumlist.com)
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To: True Republican Patriot

At least Leno had Rush as a guest and you could see in his body language/interview tone that he did enjoy his company.

Davey on the other hand, is a despicable human being. My apoligies to all human beings either. Actually, Dave letterman is a piece of sh*t..


8 posted on 01/27/2010 6:20:04 PM PST by max americana
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To: Nachum
Why Jay Leno and David Letterman Hate Each Other

Do they really? Or is this "professional jealousy" conjured up to keep the public interested? IMHO both of these men are professional actors playing the part of a talk-show host. Dogfights are good for ratings, and they well know it. No ratings, no job.

9 posted on 01/27/2010 6:22:17 PM PST by pray4liberty (Luke 21:17 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.)
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To: Nachum

There was a made-for-HBO movie called “The Late Shift” (based on the book of the same name), about the battle between Letterman and Leno for the Tonight Show. It’s a pretty good look about the battles between Leno and Letterman to replace Carson. Kathy Bates is outstanding as Helen Kushnick.


10 posted on 01/27/2010 6:25:22 PM PST by DemforBush (Now officially 100% ex-Democrat.)
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To: max americana

Many years ago, Rush was also a guest on “The David Letterman Show.”

At one point, Letterman said to Rush, “Is it possible that you’re just full of hot gas?”

I started to wonder back then why conservatives bother to appear on lefty talk shows.


11 posted on 01/27/2010 6:31:51 PM PST by july4thfreedomfoundation (The first American Revolution started in Massachusetts. So did the second one, on January 19, 2010!)
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To: july4thfreedomfoundation

“I started to wonder back then why conservatives bother to appear on lefty talk shows.”

To this very day conservatives, for some reason, (i.e. Ann Coulter) climb over each other’s backs in order to appear on Bill Maher’s crapfest.


12 posted on 01/27/2010 6:46:35 PM PST by howlinhound
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To: True Republican Patriot
Jay Leno is a Real Man, a Great Human and a National Leader with Deep Seated Morals and Character combined with a Brilliant Intellect and Great Talent!!

I have to assume, or at least dearly hope, that this is tongue in cheek.

13 posted on 01/27/2010 6:49:54 PM PST by Dan Middleton
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To: max americana

You should apologize to Sh*T for slandering it in such a demeaning way!......:-)


14 posted on 01/27/2010 6:51:04 PM PST by True Republican Patriot (May GOD Continue to BLESS Our Great President George W. Bush!!)
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To: True Republican Patriot

>>You should apologize to Sh*T for slandering it in such a demeaning way!......:-)

You’re right. I apologize...........president Obama.


15 posted on 01/27/2010 6:53:22 PM PST by max americana
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To: july4thfreedomfoundation

I remember that. I wondered why Letterman would invite Rush on his show, then just be an a$$hole to him. I’ve never seen Letterman treat another guest this way.


16 posted on 01/27/2010 6:54:33 PM PST by boop (Democracy is the theory that the people get the government they deserve, good and hard.)
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To: Nachum

Letterman is a dirtbag and I wager Carson would be ashamed at how the bitter old man went after a child and made a joke about rape.


17 posted on 01/27/2010 7:05:41 PM PST by WildWeasel
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Neither one of them could hold a candle to Carson. He treated his guests with dignity, and he always seemed to remember that it is a privilege to have an audience of millions every evening. Leno and Letterman both are hacks.


18 posted on 01/27/2010 7:09:47 PM PST by Arkansas Toothpick
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To: howlinhound

To this very day conservatives, for some reason, (i.e. Ann Coulter) climb over each other’s backs in order to appear on Bill Maher’s crapfest.


that should tell you something.


19 posted on 01/27/2010 7:13:15 PM PST by chasio649 (37-21)
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To: Nachum
Dang, I knew I liked Jay for more than his stage presence.He is not the only one that really has never cared for Letterbox!
20 posted on 01/27/2010 7:36:31 PM PST by ImpBill ("America ... where are you now?" signed, a little "r" republican!)
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