Can't believe Jay Leno makes less money than Dave Letteman. I thought when you have

[TVFactFan]

top late night show, you get to make TOP money. It was reported in the NY Post that Letteman makes $31 million and Leno is about to make $25 million??? I was surprised to hear that.

[Pitooey]

Me too..... Although I like Letterman I LOVE Jay and I think he deserves even more money than Dave.

[Brad]

I don't. Leno's show is mindless drivel.

[TJL]

NBC makes over 100 million bucks a year from The Tonight Show, and Leno is a tireless worker who will do anything to help his network. Althought I prefer Letterman, Leno deserves every penny he gets because of the money he generates for NBC.

[PZelda]

Originally posted by TJL
NBC makes over 100 million bucks a year from The Tonight Show, and Leno is a tireless worker who will do anything to help his network. Althought I prefer Letterman, Leno deserves every penny he gets because of the money he generates for NBC.

[Brian Damage]

I'm sure when Leno's contract is up for renewal, him and his agent will shoot for top money. I think it all depends on how much the network thinks you're worth. Letterman's contract was up recently and ABC was seriously wooing him to jump ship to their network. David and his agent probably demanded more money from CBS to stay and they got it. Trust me, when Leno gets a new contract, he'll get even more money.

[Brad]

His contract was just renewed last week.

NBC Asks Leno to Work Late Through End of the Decade

By Bill Carter
The New York Times

NBC has rewarded Jay Leno, the ratings leader in late-night television, with a five-year contract extension that will continue his run as host of "The Tonight Show With Jay Leno" until the end of the decade.

The new deal, which NBC is expected to announce today, guarantees that Mr. Leno will continue on "Tonight," the longest-running entertainment show in television history, until he is at least 58. He took over as host in 1992, giving him the second-longest tenure in the program's history. Johnny Carson, who retired at 65, was the host for 30 years.

While the move locks in NBC's plans for its most important late-night show, and its second-most-profitable program after the "Today'' show, it leaves open questions about its intentions for its other late-night show, "Late Night With Conan O'Brien.'' Mr. O'Brien, whose contract with the network will expire in December 2005, has followed Mr. Leno for 11 years and would have to wait until the start of a new decade before he could hope to succeed him as host of the "Tonight" show. And Mr. Leno's contract extension could inspire other networks to pursue Mr. O'Brien.

Mr. Leno said in a telephone interview yesterday that he was pleased with the new deal. "It's fun,'' he said. "We've proved we can do the show and now we just go out and do it.''

Neither NBC nor Mr. Leno disclosed the financial terms of the deal, which extends Mr. Leno's current contract until Dec. 31, 2009. But Mr. Leno did say, "I'm still not making Dave money.''

CBS pays David Letterman, Mr. Leno's chief late-night rival, about $31 million a year. Mr. Leno was making about $16 million a year under his previous deal. He acknowledged that he did "get a good raise'' in this new deal.

But he added: "I don't need the money. If you can't live on what I make there's something wrong with you.'' Mr. Leno, echoing previous statements, said that he banked his entire NBC salary and lived off the proceeds of his many stand-up comedy appearances at casinos and corporate events. Asked what he might eventually do someday with all the NBC money that he is saving, Mr. Leno said, "I guess when I retire I'll take my wife out to dinner.''

Mr. Leno said there were no real issues in the negotiation on the new deal. "It seemed pretty simple,'' he said. "NBC came to me and said, 'We'd like to sign you for about five more years,' and I said fine.''

Jeff Zucker, the president of NBC Entertainment, said the deal was done "strictly between me and Jay.'' Mr. Leno has a lawyer but no agent or manager. "We decided to do it now because Jay is now the perennial leader in late night and he only shows signs of getting stronger,'' Mr. Zucker said.

Indeed, Mr. Leno has increased both his overall ratings this television season and his lead over Mr. Letterman. "Tonight'' is averaging 6.2 million viewers nightly, up about 7 percent from last year. "The Late Show With David Letterman'' is seen by 4.4 million, up about 5 percent.

Meanwhile, the ABC late-night lineup of "Nightline'' and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" are both showing declines. "Nightline'' has an average audience of 3.9 million, down 8 percent from last year. "Jimmy Kimmel'' is seen by 1.7 million viewers, down 17 percent.

Mr. Letterman's show rarely beats Mr. Leno's in the ratings, except occasionally on Monday nights, when CBS broadcasts "C.S.I.: Miami,'' its highest-rated 10 p.m. show. Over all, including tie outcomes, Mr. Leno has finished or tied for first 127 of the last 129 nights. Mr. Leno has defeated Mr. Letterman in the ratings for 89 straight weeks.

Although "Tonight'' has dominated the ratings, Mr. Letterman's "Late Show'' has won more Emmy awards and received more critical acclaim.

Mr. Leno had praise for Mr. Letterman. "Dave does a good show,'' he said. "I watch his show and it's real good. He does a joke or a bit and sometimes I say, 'I wish we had that.' People seem to have decided who they like and that's fine."

Mr. Leno says he is especially happy with the show at the moment. "This is going be one of the nastiest presidential elections ever," Mr. Leno said. "Great, fabulous, good for me." He said he had already developed his takes on President Bush and Senator John Kerry, the presumptive Democratic candidate. "Bush has no position and Kerry has both positions,'' Mr. Leno said.

It is unusual for a network like NBC, which bases all its sales on reaching viewers from ages 18 to 49 because its advertisers pay a premium to reach that group, to commit itself to a show that stars someone outside that age range.

Mr. Leno acknowledged as much. "Hey, I'm 53 now. How many other 53-year-olds still get to talk to supermodels?"

[barwars]

I like both Letterman and Leno....

But Conan O'Brien -- he's definately the best.


One thing is -- they're ALL better than Craig Kilborn.

[TVFactFan]

Originally posted by barwars88
I like both Letterman and Leno....

But Conan O'Brien -- he's definately the best.


One thing is -- they're ALL better than Craig Kilborn.

Conan is the worst to me. Plus he looks like a cartoon.

[barwars]

Originally posted by TVShow Analyzer
Conan is the worst to me. Plus he looks like a cartoon.

worse than Kilborn?!
whatever floats your boat.




Who really cares what he looks like??
I mean, if he does look like a cartoon -- so do Leno and Letterman.
Leno's got the chin.
Letterman's got the gap.
Conan's got one BIGASS head.
And Kilborn's got nothing. At all.

[Rhiannon]

I like Jay Leno a lot more than Dave Letterman. I think his show is a lot funnier, but that's just my opinion.