Louisville Mojo: Jay, Conan and Dave -- Who's funny?

At the risk of dating myself, I remember the last time Leno was involved in a dust-up about taking over The Tonight Show. I specifically remember reading, with shock, when a television critic declared that Leno would be the victor. It wasn't the prediction that surprised me, but the reason.

The critic -- whom I won't name because my memory has probably oversimplified this to the point of slander -- said that Leno was the rightful heir of the show because: "Letterman isn't funny."

Setting aside for the moment what I think of the relative merits of the two comedians, I was surprised that anyone could make such a blanket statement about someone who had, at that point, already made a living for several years (decades?) on his comedic talent.

I mean, sure, a critic's job is to criticize, to separate the run-of-the-mill enjoyable from the truly excellent, but at some point you have to concede to the majority on purely subjective matters.

Maybe not completely. You don't have to pretend that you think American Idol represents the highest form of television. But you have to recognize that, at some level, it works for people.

You have to acknowledge that parents enjoy watching it with their kids, that the nation embraced it as the first show in which we really got to affect the outcome, that perhaps it marked a society's longing for the return of the old variety shows -- music! comedy! Kelly Pickler!

So if a person has made a living as a comedian, you have to allow that they must be funny to someone. I have never, not even as a small unsophisticated child, understood why Larry thumping Curly in the face (or whatever) would be considered funny.

I don't mean this in a high-minded way. I'm not saying: "I am not amused by violence." I am speaking on a much lower level. It just... does ... not make me laugh.

Still, I must concede that the institution has lived on from the days of black and white television for some reason. My theory is: "Men are simple." (I don't mean simple-minded. I am honestly not being insulting. I just mean they appreciate the uncomplicated. And why not? We all should.)

So while I don't find The Three Stooges funny. I would never say that they "aren't" funny. Understand?

So it amusing and puzzling to me, all these years later, to still hear people make categorical statements about the lack of humor presented by, say, Conan? How can they be so.... dogmatic?

It's mysterious to me. And it's not fair or helpful. That is what I say.

I say all that. And then I say this:

Jay Leno is not funny.

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Son of a Gun wed jan 27 2010 at 9:25 am ·


	I don't think Letterman or Leno are funny, but Leno especially sucks. NBC has no idea what they're doing.

Kool Jerk wed jan 27 2010 at 11:26 am ·


	Most people don't realize most everything said on these shows are written by the writers. I don't like to believe the writers write as much of the show as they do. I have been a Dave fan over the years.

Mixed Mojo wed jan 27 2010 at 11:53 am ·


	They ALL got old a long time ago. Adult Swim and Comedy Central have the late night funny market cornered right now.

rob wed jan 27 2010 at 12:40 pm ·


	Jay Leno is one of the least funniest comedians I've ever seen. I really don't get his appeal at all.

Mixed Mojo wed jan 27 2010 at 1:21 pm ·


	he doesn't scare old white people.

Beverly Bartlett wed jan 27 2010 at 1:33 pm ·


	Well, sure. But .... Letterman does? I thought it was interesting when they recently made jokes about each other. Letterman was hilarious about Leno. Leno's joke about Letterman just fell painfully flat. (At least in the third hand version of it, I got. Hah.) It was like he was making a joke about Letterman's wife which.... come on....

Kool Jerk wed jan 27 2010 at 1:55 pm ·


	In the early 80's I saw Leno live here in Louisville. He sat at my table before the show and just talked. He was actually funny in those days. He and Dave were pals back then as Dave had him on his show often. I told Jay that when people come to Louisville to perform they don't ever talk about it. About two night after I talked to him he was on Letterman. He talked about Louisville and he and Dave spent five minutes on the topic of how Louisville should be pronounced. I'm taking credit for all that. The networks have a say in what these people can and can't do on their show. A live stand up act is the only way to know.

Tom Johnson wed jan 27 2010 at 2:19 pm ·


	An awful lot of the job of a host is to be inoffensive to a target audience. Letterman has an edge that Leno doesn't. If you don't get Letterman, he's not tolerable because of it. If you don't get Leno, at least you don't demand that your spouse change the channel.

Beverly Bartlett fri jan 29 2010 at 7:50 am ·


	That is very astute, Tom! Meanwhile, here's another exhibit in why Leno's not funny. Even Oprah told Leno he wasn't funny: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/01/28/oprah-tells-leno-letterma_n_441004.html The fact that he can't see the difference in Letterman's industry jokes and Leno's joke about Letterman's wife is... telling.

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