i bid you a very heartfelt good night. the tonight show without johnny carson as the regular host made its debut last night. jay leno emerged from behind the curtain, stepping into the big shoes that were filled for 30 years by johnny. cbs came to us and made a very attractive offer. here we go, number ten. head cbs, tails cbs. number nine letterman did place a call to johnny carson asking for his advice and johnny said, if it was me, i would leave. and i think that advice was really the linchpin. letterman always took johnny s advice. the late-night wars are about to begin in earnest on american television. david letterman is now headed for cbs. cbs had lured him over with a salary more than four times that of leno and given him what he really wanted, the 11:30 time slot. now as dave and jay prepare to go head to head, one thing is clear late-night tv will never be quite the same. all of a sudden, there s a
he didn t get it. jay leno got it. leno, who earlier rode his motorcycle into a news conference hosted by nbc entertainment president warren littlefield, still has a bruised ego about the way the network wavered in its support for him. when we found out leno was going to get the tonight show, we were all obviously depressed. we felt like we were being punished for making fun of them and not cooperating and not being as collaborative as we could have been. and we also felt like we were being disrespected because we did 11 years of great shows. just how pissed off are you? [ laughter and applause ] by all rights, david letterman should have taken over for johnny carson, but his agent took a very, very aggressive stand. we re going to really control all of late night. it s going to cost you a fortune. and they put our backs to the wall. i can only tell you it s been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes all these years and entertain you. and i hope when i find somet
head cbs, tails cbs. number nine letterman did place a call to johnny carson asking for his advice and johnny said, if it was me, i would leave. and i think that advice was really the linchpin. letterman always took johnny s advice. the late-night wars are about to begin in earnest on american television. david letterman is now headed for cbs. cbs had lured him over with a salary more than four times that of leno and given him what he really wanted, the 11:30 time slot. now, as dave and jay prepare to go head to head, one thing is clear late-night tv will never be quite the same. all of a sudden, there s a talk show war. start up your remote controls. the late-night race is about to begin. on monday, david letterman s new show debuts here on cbs. followed a week later by chevy chase on fox and a week after that by conan o brien on nbc.
we re going to really control all of late night. it s going to cost you a fortune. and they put our backs to the wall. i can only tell you it s been an honor and a privilege to come into your homes all these years and entertain you. and i hope when i find something i want to do and i think you will like and come back, that you will be as gracious inviting me into your home as you have been. i bid you a very heartfelt good night. the tonight show without johnny carson as the regular host made its debut last night. jay leno emerged from behind the curtain, stepping into the big shoes that were filled for 30 years by johnny. cbs came to us and made a very attractive offer. here we go, number ten. head cbs, tails cbs. number nine letterman did place a call to johnny carson asking for his advice and johnny said, if it was me, i would leave. and i think that advice was really the linchpin.
cbs came to us and made a very attractive offer. here we go, number ten. head cbs, tails cbs. number nine letterman placed a call to johnny carson asking for his advice and johnny said, if it was me, i would leave. and i think that advice was really the linchpin. letterman always took johnny s advice. the late-night wars are about to begin in earnest on american television. david letterman is now headed for cbs. cbs had lured him over with a salary more than four times that of leno and given him what he really wanted, the 11:30 time slot. now as dave and jay prepare to go head to head, one thing is clear late-night tv will never be quite the same. all of a sudden, there s a talk show war. start up your remote controls. the late-night race is about to begin. on monday, david letterman s new show debuts here on cbs. followed a week later by chevy