The Late Shift News Today

In a devastating turn of events, beloved actor Treat Williams, famous for his role in the 1979 film Hair and as Dr. Andy Brown on the hit TV series Everwood, passed away yesterday at 71. Williams was involved in a fatal motorcycle accident in Dorset, Vermont. The news has sent shockwaves through the entertainment

"the late shift." >> he doesnt want to be in the mix of, this is my point of view and im pounding away at the president. he knows its not his strength. he doesnt want to do it. >> i hope theyre going to understand -- >> just months before the election, jimmy fallon was vilified for being too soft on trump. his ratings suffered. >> yes! >> was interviewing trump and playing with him a big deal? was that actually a big deal? >> giovanni russonello is a culture reporter for "the new york times". >>...

"the late shift." >> he doesnt want to be in the mix of, this is my point of view and im pounding away at the president. he knows its not his strength. he doesnt want to do it. >> i hope theyre going to understand. >> just months before the election, jimmy fallon was vilified for being too soft on trump. his ratings suffered. >> yes! ♪ >> was interviewing trump and playing with him a big deal? was it actually a big deal? >> i think hes acknowledged since then, that, yes, it was a huge deal and...

Trump, a very good impression of trump. >> all right, me, we have a big interview with jimmy fallon coming up. lets be honest, fallons a lightweight. no way he deserves to interview me. the only one qualified to interview me is me. >> bill carter is the author of "the late shift." >> he doesnt want to be in the mix of, this is my point of view, and im pounding away at the president. he knows its not his strength. >> i hope theyre going to understand. >> just months before the election, jimmy fal...

"the late shift." >> he doesnt want to be in the mix of, this is my point of view and im pounding away at the president. he knows its not his strength. he doesnt want to do it. >> i hope theyre going to understand. >> just months before the election, jimmy fallon was vilified for being too soft on trump. his ratings suffered. >> yes! >> was interviewing trump and playing with him a big deal? was it actually a big deal? >> gee va g.i.ovanni is a writer. >> i think hes acknowledged since then, tha...

>> bill carter is the author of "the late shift." >> he doesnt want to be in the mix of, this is my point of view and im pounding away at the president. he knows its not his strength. he doesnt want to do it. >> i hope theyre going to understand -- >> just months before the election, jimmy fallon was vilified for being too soft on trump. his ratings suffered. >> yes! >> was interviewing trump and playing with him a big deal? was that actually a big deal? >> giovanni russonello is a culture repor...

I have something to say here. donald trump, if youre watching, first of all, youre a bad president. please resign. second of all -- [ cheers and applause ] >> in the trump era, the "late shows" stephen colberts satirical voice cracked the code. but colberts method of madness is in sharp contrast to what not long ago was a winning formula on nbcs "the tonight show". >> wow. i look fantastic. >> the thing about jimmy is he does an impression of trump, a very good impression of trump. >> all right,...

Bill carter is the author of "the late shift." >> he doesnt want to be in the mix of, this is my point of view and im pounding away at the president. he knows its not his strength. he doesnt want to do it. >> i hope theyre going to understand. >> just months before the election, jimmy fallon was vilified for being too soft on trump. his ratings suffered. >> yes! >> was interviewing trump and playing with him a big deal? was it actually a big deal? >> i think hes acknowledged since then, that, ye...

Burger king. do you think hes capable of being a brilliant comic and -- >> i do think hes capable. ive seen him. the guy is one of the great comedians. >> but you think hes dumbed down his material? >> yeah, i think thats fair to say. >> but lenos controversy goes far beyond his humor. some of the more infamous stories began when he and critical darling david letterman competed to replace the legendary johnny carson. >> you think they can just flip a coin? >> it became legendary, as captured in ...

Bill carter is the national media reporter for the "new york times" and author of the 1994 letterman/leno book, "the late shift" which turned out to be only the beginning. hes good enough to join us from burbank. good evening, bill. >> good to be with you, keith. >> was this just a good joke as leno put it? or some sort of peace offering by letterman? put this in context. >> i think certainly from daves point of view, it started as a joke. he liked the idea. i think when they got together, proba...