Holy smokes, did USA TODAY today bury the lede. Inside a cover story on its Life section about Jay Leno's garage (three airplane hangars, actually) is this killer quote nine paragraphs in: "I am definitely done next year -- with NBC." This is news to anyone who has been buying NBC's line that they are in negotiations with Leno about doing something else for the network.
The story, which is a great read, provides some details that even I hadn't heard before -- like the touching fact that Jay has kept the '96 Miata owned by his late brother, and that the "Tonight" host sponsors a scholarship at McPherson College in auto restoration. (Two McPherson, Kansas, references in two days is a new personal best.)
But the revelation by Leno that he is, in fact, done with NBC adds greater validity to the reports I heard in the past three weeks from two independent sources that Leno and ABC are just waiting for the window to open up so he can negotiate with other networks. And when it does, he will sign a $45 million-a-year deal to anchor a new Leno-Kimmel power block in late night. I'll believe that when I see it, and I think ABC is taking a huge gamble asking NBC's audience to shift over to ABC for Jay's sake. But this is TV, and with egos and money and demo points at stake, anything is possible.
In case you missed it, the garage's website, JayLenosgarage.com, which is sponsored not by NBC but by General Motors, got an Emmy nomination this morning. Think of it. Ken Burns and Jay Leno: objects of GM patronage. That's an odd couple.
And think of this, too: JayLenosGarage.com: 1 Emmy nomination. "The Wire": 1 Emmy nomination.
I've never been a huge fan of Leno on the Tonight Show. The guy is a great comedian, but I think he's an even greater car guy. This fall NBC's take on Top Gear from the BBC will debut. I fully expect it to fail. Love the Beeb version, but I really think that NBC will find a way to ruin a great idea.
Leno is the kind of guy who can really make this sort of thing work. He has a genuine and freakish love (this is a good thing from my perspective) of cars coupled with a great comedic wit.
Imagine a nice glossy weekly TV show branching off from Jay Leno's Garage. This is the perfect retirement gig for Jay. I'd watch.
On Jay and his brother's Miata, I blogged on an article he did of his driving impressions of the Mazda Kabura concept on www.mondomotoring.com
As it was a piece on Mazda he mentioned the Miata from his brother and the rotary powered Mazda Cosmo he bought. (very cool car by the way and he actually outbid Mazda to get it)
I look forward to Jay and NBC splitting up, I expect or at least hope for something very good to come of it.
Posted by: Mike | July 17, 2008 at 01:05 PM
I guess I have to ask the question: Would Kimmel wish to move 30 minutes back on ABC, particularly with a weak affiliate lineup? What if the affiliates don't want to give up the income from syndicated programming? Kimmel is already pushed back to 12:05 AM in Minneapolis...How far back can you push him?
Posted by: Mark Anderson | July 18, 2008 at 10:28 AM