European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 7, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse Leno Oft and running but he needs footwork by Rick Del brow los Angeles times for the first three shows anyway the ratings for Jay Leno As the new Host of no cd a the tonight show were Good 38 percent of the big City audience for his May 25 premiere 27 percent the next night and 26 percent the third night. The Public Good will from his five years As Johnny Carsons sub obviously is still there. So is the initial interest in How he will do at succeeding Carson. New network late night shows often pull in curious viewers at first. Cd so Pat Sajak opened strongly against Carson before collapsing in the ratings. With All the Early Good news about ratings however one Hopes that Leno and his staff Are not deluded into thinking they put on a great show the first week. They did no to. Acceptable sure a at times. Even better than that on opening night during Billy crystals spot and wednesday with Joe Pesci and comedian Paula Poundstone. Pretty awful on the other hand with the separate appearances of Tom cruise and Emilio Estevez a vapid empty conversation if you can Call it that and a Lack of ability by Leno to raise the guest shots to a higher level. What we Are talking about Here is the need by Leno a staff to give him help in the areas where he needs it. The opening monologue clearly is his Strong Point although it Wasny to up to his usual level the first three nights. But that will take care of itself especially if Leno stops finding himself so amusing a a trait that tends to be off putting after a while. More important is what Leno a staff can do for him after the monologue. The comedian has said that the monologue is the most important thing on the tonight show and that a True just As it was with Carson. But there Are still about 45 minutes to go after the opening gags a and that a five nights a week 47 weeks a year. That a Why Leno should be calling some heavy duty staff meetings. He is not a great interviewer but that can be improved. He is a splendid comedian but not a great wit. David Letterman for instance has a funny attitude that is More important than any gag he utters and that keeps his series at a consistent level. Carson though dressed like a businessman had Many dimensions a a Superb ability for instance As a sketch comedian. Thus far and based on his More than 300 appearances on tonight Leno is a highly ingratiating fellow who tells a joke Well and that a about it. For less demanding audiences that May Well be enough even for the Long haul. But if Leno is going to raise the Overall Quality of his show and make it appealing As a stylish nightly venture a As Carson Jack Paar and Steve Allen did before him a it will probably be his Talent coordinators who have to turn the trick. Those were the hidden heroes of tonight under Carson a the people who know the Star his tastes and his inclinations so Well that they find guests both celebrities and Ordinary folks with whom he is most comfortable and at ease in his conversation. That was certainly not the Case for instance in the cruise and Estevez interviews. On the other hand Pesci immediately seemed to be in Leno a Ballpark and the comedian knew it saying a i love you because you look like every Guy i grew up a perfect line but alas Pesci quickly had to make Way for other guests in the overbooked show so that we were deprived of what looked like the beginning of a Beautiful Friendship. Poundstone meanwhile was a Delight Baring her politics without hesitation a i hate bus but a unique and substantial comic guest who like Pesci Leno would do Well to incorporate into his regular rotation of visitors. Leno also needs help in his slight attempts at sketches which have been pretty woeful. On opening night there was a faintly amusing Takeoff on those to programs that Appeal for Money to support the needy. Only in Leno Scase the recipients would be a the needy greedy who would be part of a a feed the felons Charity a Leona Helmsley Jim Bakker Charles Keating and Manuel Noriega. Another sketch trying to show that he is just As irreverent toward no cd a owner general electric As Carson was and Letterman is also came off Only Soso. The idea was that Leno conceivably could be replaced by a robot tonight Host a who showed up but soon malfunctioned with the comedian concluding that his Job is Safe. Still another sketch on wednesday had great potential Only moderately realized. The idea Here was How to political and campaigns might be presented against George Washington and Julius Caesar. There was a great line nailing Washington a Quot he says he san environmentalist but he Cut Down a Cherry tree a yet again the final touch of True elegance or irresistible raunch iness was lacking. Now the music and the set. Some viewers who Admire jazz saxophonist Branford Marsalis and his band have told us they Are nevertheless left cold by the music. We disagree. Leno for years has made his living playing clubs and the intimate style of the Marsalis group seems Ideal in creating a mood in which the Host would be comfortable a an All important Factor. The set is another Story. In person it is splendid a decked out like an old refurbished theater with a California coastline backdrop for Leno that seems appropriate. On to however the effect has not been properly caught yet. That s entertainment to has rarely equated the a vent Stylc entertainment of three weeks ago a Carsons retirement from tonight and the controversial birth on Murphy drow n. With vice president Dan Quayle objecting to Murphy Browne a out of Wedlock motherhood there was genuine National involvement in both the sitcom and Carsons final show which predictably Drew his biggest audience Ever a 55 million viewers. Quayle a remarks inevitably linked both events providing material for Carson on his Farewell Outing not to mention fueling gags during the week for 7b-night guest Robin Williams As Well As David let tar Man on his follow up show. Carson thanked Quayle on his last program a for making my final week so Carson also said a i have not really made any plans for retirement. But the events of this last week have helped me make a decision. I am going to join the cast of Murphy Brown and become a surrogate programs such As Ted Koppel a a nightlife tried seriously to come to grips with the issues raised by Quayle in his comments about values. But the comedians had a free swinging Field Day. Williams zeroed in on the vice president Quot he a one Taco Short of a combination Letterman meanwhile was relentless. His list of Quot Dan Quay cd Stop 10 other complaints about tvs included a too much Liberal news coverage too Little Golf and he said that one of the top 10 things Quayle likes about to is Matlock because it proves the judicial system is working. With All the fuss some observers noted that lbs will rerun the Murphy drown birth on sept. 7, labor Day. In any Case its doubtful that Carson Ever had better Back to Back shows than his two final broadcasts. The raucous Brilliant May 21 program with Williams and Bette Midler was a perfect prelude to the quiet Classy exit of the comedian May 22. And not Only did Carsons Farewell attract 62 percent of the audience in 25 major cities but his Lead in also gave the Letterman show its highest ratings Ever for those markets a with an amazing 43 percent share of the viewers. In addition while Carsons share of the los Angeles audience was likewise amazing at 72 percent he also attracted a mind boggling 77 percent of the television viewers in Portland Ore. Exit laughing a except for a touching monologue by Letterman on his show following Carsons finale. Abandoning his Wise Guy Persona a Well for a few moments anyway a Letterman delivered a straight tribute crediting the Success of his show to the fact that it followed Carson. In great part True especially at first. Letterman however has been a giant Talent and an influential shaper of the television medium himself. But his Salute was a Fine gesture acknowledging that somebody has to open the door for you. Second Bonanato former to sidekicks such ased Mcmahon who was with Carson from the beginning on tonight have done quite Well for themselves. Mcmahon has Star search. Regis Philbin who used to play second fiddle to Joey Bishop on his late night series has a successful talk show. And Hugh Downs who was Paar a sidekick on tonight in the pre Carson Days is co Host of 20-20 with Barbara Walters. June 7, 1992 sunday a Page 11
