Leno's Leaving, and Nobody Cares

Why is no one crying as Jay Leno leaves the Tonight Show, wonders the Cajun Boy on Gawker. Is it “because he's liked by the olds and people who live in red states”? No, it’s because Leno is nice. He's like “a lover that you just sort of settle for. He's a serviceable, but utterly passionless flame.” Even if no one is crying, people are certainly talking. A sampling:

• The fact that Leno is getting a chance to say goodbye is rare in the industry, writes Phil Rosenthal for the Chicago Tribune. More often than not, departures in the talk show world are sudden and swift. Rosenthal runs down some of the more memorable examples.
• Leno’s move to primetime is a savvy move on NBC’s part, analysts tell the Hollywood Reporter. But it’s still risky: “If it doesn't work, they will be faced with replacing not one failed show but five,” says one.

(More Jay Leno stories.)