For those of us dreading Leno’s return to NBC — and indeed, we exist — it is difficult to imagine what could turn our attention to his 10 p.m. whatever-it-is-going-to-be show. Promos seem to indicate he’ll spend a lot of time talking about cars, showing off his cars, and making other people race cars. Given that the last thing I want to think about in this economy is the nearly eradicated American auto industry, “enticing” is not the word I’d use for this theme.
Still, certain names do pique the interest, perhaps none more so than Pee-Wee Herman, a.k.a. Paul Reubens, who will join Jay on Sept 22. The erstwhile children’s television star will likely be there to discuss his role in Life During Wartime — Todd Solondz’s sequel to his own Happiness, making the film festival rounds this fall — as well as the return of his stage show in L.A. come November. Since all but vanishing after some nasty to-do’s a couple years back, it should be interesting to see how triumphant a career resurrection Reubens can stage, and this is clearly a step in that process. Interesting enough to make me put up with Leno? Eh. That remains to be seen.
What about you, PopWatchers? What wacky/seldom-seen/interesting guest could get you to tune into Leno, if you, like me, remain skeptical that he should be eating up any more of our valuable airtime?
Photo Credit: Leno: Mitchell Haaseth/NBC; Reubens: Scott Alan/PR Photos
No one.
I used to watch Leno, but there isn’t anyone who would get me to watch.
Agreed, and if any it certainly isn’t Paul Reubens…yuck! I cannot even stand to look at PeeWee.
Good, he can’t stand to look at you either.
I hate General Electric in general. Their light bulbs suck the most.
I think if he ever gets celebs like Brad Pitt, Edward Norton, or Denzel I would tune in. But not likely.
I’m pretty sure none of those guys are stretches to be guests on “Leno.” He has quite a bit of pull and they are all pretty mainstream actors who will surely have projects to promote in the near future.
It doesn’t matter who he interviews because he cannot pull off a good interview. He appears to make all of his guests uncomfortable and does not have the ability to appropriately bring humor into the conversation. Oh, he tries, but he just can’t do it. Not funny.
Maybe if he got Letterman on his show. Otherwise I would never watch Leno. He’s never been and never will be funny.
Isn’t Jay scheduled to be a guest on Dave? I was horrified when I heard the news.
I guess on your planet freakshows like Paul Shaffer are normal? Letterman is the stupidist, unfunny person on TV. You probably think Woody Allen is a genius too. So sad.
LOL… stupidest huh??? Ever heard of the “pot calling the kettle black”?
Obviously a Leno fan, it makes sense.
Nobody. Hope they cancel this, immediately.
Agreed, because this will be on 5 days a week it forces other tv shows to be left off television
If Paul Reubens is the first guest, then I’ll watch that show. If halfway through the show, it is revealed that Reubens is the actual host, then I will be tuning in every night. One can dream.
Yes, one can dream. It seems we both share the same dream.
no one could make me watch him again. if i want to watch a celebrity on a talk show i will watch them on conan or letterman or jimmy fallon. if they are worth hearing form they will be on one of those shows.
Or Regis and Kelly or the View or Ellen!
I doubt I would tune in but if Prince, Ellen DeGeneres, Madonna or Paula Poundstone show up, I might think about making an exception or two.
Really? Paula Poundstone? That’s your high bar? Can’t you just listen to Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me on NPR?
There isn’t anyone I can think of who would encourage me to watch Leno. I didn’t watch him on The Tonight Show and I won’t be watching his prime-time show. He is a lousy interviewer and not very funny.
Considering Leno consistantly was the leader in late night television I would say there are plenty of people willing to turn into Leno including myself. I much prefer him to either Letterman or Conan and cannot wait for Leno to return.
No one would be worth tuning in, because Leno’s move cut out five hours of drama at NBC, and that’s a real shame. I’d rather watch drama than Leno’s babble any time, and the writers, staff, and actors his move put out of work ensure that I will never watch him again. Now, if they brought back Without a Trace, THAT I’d watch.
I never watched Leno at 1130, I am most certainly not going to watch him at 10. Especially since the other networks, while they all have their faults (cancelling Veronica Mars, Arrested Development are the most obvious!), I will tune into those channels because they were not stupid enough to waste it on a not-funny man bringing on has-beens!
I feel like NBC only brought back Leno because they did not want any of the other networks to have him. They had and still do not have any intention to take this Leno gamble seriously. Silverman quit, they bring on Pee-Wee bloody Herman, which will all lead to the cancellation of this bloody debacle!
Clearly you haven’t been watching NBC’s dramas. You’re not missing anything.
NONE OF THE ABOVE (WHOEVER THEY CHOOSE TO SHOW). PLEASE FOLKS AT NBC, WHY SHOULD I WATCH LENO IN PRIMETIME WHEN I DIDN’T WATCH HIM IN LATE NIGHT??? THE ONLY SHOW I WATCHED ON YOUR NETWORK LAST SEASON WAS ‘LIFE’ AND YOU CHOSE TO CANCEL IT. WHY?? PLEASE LENO IS SO PAST HIS 15 MINUTES OF ‘FAME.
No one.
I have to go with the above and say no one. If there is an actor I like, they most likely will be on other talk shows, such that I don’t have to reward NBC for getting rid of 5 hours of programming.
With that being said, as a young-30′s female from New York, I doubt I’m the target audience anyway and it (unfortunately) will probably do well enough to keep it on the air. Sigh.
Jay Leno is terribly boring to watch.
Doris Day
That made me smile.