Confirmation: Leno = Lt. Bill Kilgore

by Brian McKim & Traci Skene on November 2nd, 2009

A week ago, we compared Jay Leno to Robert Duvall’s character in “Apocalypse Now.” Ample validation of our comparison is contained in Ben Grossman’s Broadcasting & Cable interview.

It’s a fascinating look into Leno’s brain and temperament and work ethic. Read the whole thing.

Drudge linked to it for the provocative “I wouldn’t trade places with Dave Letterman” quote, but this jumped out at us:

I’m not having a bad time at 10 o’clock now. I look at this as a job, and now I’m faced with a challenge, and it’s a challenge I find difficult but interesting. I find that when I go to Vegas, whereas before I might not sell out, all of a sudden it’s sold out. I seem to be doing better in terms of public appearances. I am reaching a wider audience. Whether that translates to television just yet, I don’t know. But I see a difference.

Now why is that, because I’m in the paper every day? I don’t know. Because I’m on earlier? I’m actually doing well; this is almost the best year for personal appearances since I started. So there is no negativity there.

Emphasis ours. We’re shocked that Leno might not have sold out when he did Vegas. But then, he is doing the Terry Fator Theater which looks like it holds around 1,200 to 1,500. Formerly the Danny Gans Theater, the venue regularly hosts other comedians like Ron White, Lewis Black, Kevin James and Ray Romano (the latter two sharing the bill).

The statement also illustrates the power of primetime and also proves that there is still a powerful difference between exposure in primetime and exposure on late night (or cable, premium or basic).

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