First Jay Leno Show Review Promises Awkward Interviews, Car Commercials and Juggling

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The Jay Leno Show has been clouded by skepticism, industry disses, fancy-car talk and desk controversy since the moment NBC's fall schedule was announced. But on the weekday eve of the hotly anticipated premiere, what can we really expect from the former Tonight Show's denim deity on Monday night? Guests at Leno's test-taping have the answers.

Two Comedy.com writers attended a Wednesday test-taping at the NBC lot in Burbank and took careful notes on what unspooled before them. After Leno warmed up the audience himself, he threw to what the moles described as "some douchey-looking guy in an Affliction shirt [who] ran onstage shouting at us and throwing Leno merchandise into the audience. Then he started to juggle!" Though that might actually be entertaining if it were part of the show, here is what you, lowly TV-viewers, can expect:

Studio: "Basically the old Tonight Show setup with a few tweaks." The massive stage is filled with "car art" and wait, no desk!

Band: Kevin Eubanks and the Primetime Band provide "the same flavorless lack of tone the as old Tonight Show. Well, a little nostalgia never killed anyone. But wait.

Monologue: "Ugh...It was Leno's usual, Tonight Show-esque lengthy" intro. Among the stale punchlines: Octomom, George W. Bush and President Obama.

Comedian Segment: Audience members found relief from Leno's Bush jokes with comedian Nick Thune, who performed a seasonal-appropriate bit about preparing for high school. The segment was called "Nick Thune Changes Your Life" and is expected to be repeated.

Interview Segment: Leno's desk-less interview with Selma Blair "proved that Jay still keeps a conversational distance with celebrities." After discussing spas and Blair's sullen demeanor, Jay threw to a taped skit called JMZ, where Blair is ambushed by fake paparazzi.

Race Track Segment: Surprise here: "Jay didn't seem into it at all!" The undercover audience reporter noted that the segment was "essentially a long Ford commercial" and after changing, Selma Blair jumped into an Electric Ford Focus and spun around the track twice in 58 seconds...58 seconds "that felt like an hour."

Pre-Taped Comedy Segment: Another fall-appropriate bit that was used during Leno's time at the Tonight Show: "Back to School Products." The gag products unveiled included a panini press laptop and a teacher's chalkboard that can be converted into a bed for seducing students.

Another Comedian: In the second comic segment of the night, Tom Papa performed some Ray Romano-style jokes about his family for four minutes.

After Tom Papa finished, Leno wrapped up the show by telling the audience to "Stay tuned for the news." He then left the stage as several show producers appeared to ask the audience valuable questions...about the quality of the studio's acoustics.

· Comedy.com Sneaks Into A Taping Of Jay Leno's New Show[Comedy.com]



Comments

  • el smrtmnky says:

    i'm already snoring

  • yarmulke says:

    Coming from someone who works at an NBC affiliate...My resume is being brushed to perfection.

  • sweetbiscuit says:

    Grisly.

  • Diamond Dogg says:

    Glad to see Leno back on Air. His show is very funny and he is the best Late Night talk show host ever!!
    Welcome back Jay!

  • T says:

    Lame, Lame, Lame. Celebrities racing cars segment HAS to go, that is so incredibly boring. Producing the show on the cheap is a win for NBC but I do not see it winning it's ratings slot. He cannot be cancelled as his contract is for a year, but eventually Jay will go the way of the dinosaur.