Going to jump off the yuletide train for today and check in on Real Life. Larry Craig will not be allowed to take back his guilty plea, he is just gonna have to suck it up. The governor of Illinois might as well pack his bags because he will be moving to the Big House soon. It is one thing when there is second-hand evidence against you but when that evidence is taking from your own mouth, you're pretty much done.
The biggest news of the day had nothing to do with corruption or injustice. It has to do with one of my personal icons - Television. Jay Leno is not leaving or better said, he may be leaving the Tonight Show but he will still be on 5 days a week and a hour and a half earlier. I have been in a funk contemplating my Tonight Show dilemma. I have watched the TS since the Johnny Carson days. When Jay took over, I was skeptical but he quickly fell in the same groove. Conan O'Brien doesn't. After the TS, I will move on to reruns of Lockup on MSNBC before leaving the tube on channel 7. Nothing personal, but the real test is if Something/Someone makes me laugh. Conan never has.
At the NBC's press conference yesterday, it was a light-hearted exchange of information and confession. I tell you. I think Jeff Zucker and NBC may be the best resource we have to lead this country out of its present state of disgrace. They understand that prime time TV is not working and changes had to be made. By putting Jay Leno in before Conan and guaranteeing at least several hours of comedy each and every week day night and saving money, these guys are economic geniuses. It cost 15M to make one ER(now in its final season), it will cost 2M to do Jay's show. That is a savings of 13M and that is only one show. Lipstick Jungle and My Own Worst Enemy had already been canceled so that freed up two more nights. That only leaves 2 night to rearrange - small potatoes for Jeff Zucker, at this point.
During the new conference, Jay Leno said they told him from the very beginning that they would kick him out when he was at the top of his game, that is the way things are done now. It's a young person's game, he said. I think that has been pretty obvious since the election. Our world is changing and msot of it is going to the young people. Luke Russert shoud be the head of NBC Sports soon. Newspapers are going out of business left and right because they are not the way this new generation in charge, wants to get their info.
It's a young man's game - that is the world we are living in. It is changing daily. That is another branch of the Game. Constant change, immediate gratification by way of the media around us. IMHO, I love it but in my age group, I guess I am in somewhat of a minority. Either, you need to climb aboard or get ready to concede that the world as you knew it - is leaving slowly forever. In the meantime, I am giddy at knowing that I will have a place to go every night to unwind from these changing times and I can't wait...
