Jay Felt News Today

love it and well give you an award for it. carson: and so it has come to this. fallon: i thought that johnny carson came with the tv set. leno: what the hell were you thinking? ray: dave was the new johnny, for me. letterman: im not exactly a computer. slow down. meyers: it felt... edgy before i was probably old enough to appreciate what edgy was. man: you better be as good as letterman. obrien: ill give it a shot. obrien: my heart dropped through my butt. it exited my butt. stewart: h...

Emotional darkness, and transformed it into comedy. >> something terrible happens, these guys still have to come on that night and do a show. unless its just something off the charts terrible. >> and i can remember sitting with jay and writers, and we were all just kind of like looking at the tv screen just stunned. >> 9/11 is such a shock to the country that television itself could not go back on the air. >> people were so afraid at the time that we werent going to be able to be funny.

Million viewers watching that night, we had over 10 million. >> let me start with question number one. [ laughter ] >> everyone wanted to know, what is hugh grant going to say? >> what the hell were you thinking? [ laughter ] [ rim shot ] >> oh my god, you couldnt have said it better. >> as you know, the hollywood community was shocked to learn that this type of thing was going on. >> jay kills it. the whole show. >> well, i mean, obviously very -- so many bad things about it, i dont know where ...

At that point, helen kushnick had been fired. >> we brought in debbie vickers. >> i didnt and i have in common we are hard workers and well do whatever is in our power to get better. jays strength was the monologue and joke telling. >> jay felt in studio 1 in burbank, the audience was too far away from him, the band was too far away. so we got a new set design. >> jay now is working closer to the audience. weve extended the monologue because thats where jays muscles are. >> i cant help thinking,...

Its very hip to be on the internet right now. >> i ask you to join me and the president in working for fundamental change in americas health care system. >> if it doesnt fit, you must acquit. >> british heartthrob hugh grant was arrested early this morning in hollywood for allegedly picking up a prostitute on sunset boulevard. >> the most important element of hugh grant showing up on "the tonight show" with jay leno was that he showed up. >> we all assumed he would cancel the appearance. >> jay ...

And 3 xwirched, unbelievable, all three combined. >> sometimes there was nothing to laugh at. hed look at me and he would say, "thanks for that one." >> i did wonder at times if i made a mistake fighting for and believe until jay. >> one out of every three men is afraid of long-term commitment. if you asked me, one out of every three tv networks is afraid of long-term commitment. >> jay started with this huge pressure, a lot of nerves. behind the scenes, it was dramatic. >> jays manager, helen k...

Unannounced surprise. >> ladies and gentlemen, david letterman. >> everybody watched that show. because, oh, dave is coming back to nbc, but hes not doing anything with jay. >> i think youve really done a great job to carve out a wonderful identity for yourself. and i really, really appreciate that. i think you did a nice job. >> well, thank you. >> our big brother, dave, came in and stuck up for us. >> and i was just, you know, oh! turning point. >> audiences got better. finally we got a longer...

But jay is still getting his ass handed to him. i was scared to death. >> dave beat our brains out for two years. and there were certainly questions on the part of my colleagues at nbc, what are we going to do about jay leno? >> i was really worried that the show was not going to make it. >> let me ask you a question. when prisoners watch shows like "cops," do you think they root for the criminal? what do you think? come on, get over the fence! oh, man, oh, oh! >> on the worst day of the tonight...

>> jays show had gotten really good. it was really strong. but people were sampling it yet. >> and then there is the night where hugh grant comes on. that night turned the whole tide of late night television around. and it never stopped. limitless length plus volume. sensational from every angle. lash sensational sky high mascara. only from maybelline new york.

>> they offer him "the tonight show." but hes only going to get it in a year and a half when jays first contract is up. >> i said to dave, we cant go near that offer. thats total bullshit. because theyll get out of it. and dave was really confused at that point. >> and peter la salle says, you know what, dave, call johnny. >> and johnny said, if they treated me the way theyre treating you, no, i would go to cbs. >> tell them to go to hell. >> the announcement designed to keep you up at night has...