Jay Leno had the difficult task of following Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show. He had to carve his own path without alienating too much of the audience that had tuned in to Carson for decades. Now, Leno shares what he thinks he shared in common with the late-night TV legend.
Leno hosted NBC’s iconic Tonight Show from 1992 to 2009 (and again briefly in 2010) after Carson spent 30 years behind the desk. Carson, the undisputed king of late-night, was known for his sharp wit, comedic timing, and deep privacy.
That privacy and off-camera persona are where Leno sees similarities. “When I got The Tonight Show, I began to understand Johnny even more,” Leno wrote in Howard Smith's book My Friend Johnny (via People). “I would never compare myself to Johnny, but I think this is the one thing we had in common: the ability to not really fit in anywhere.”
Carson had a reputation of being shy and reserved in public. He had a close circle of friends, but could come off as cold to some who didn't know him. In a similar way, Leno's reputation suggested he wasn't always the friendliest with his fellow comics.
“We were too rich and successful to hang out with regular folks,” Leno explained, “yet we felt uncomfortable and embarrassed around self-centered Hollywood types.”
Jay Leno on how Johnny Carson influenced his personal life
Perhaps it was that shared perspecitve that made it easier for Jay Leno to follow Johnny Carson in other ways. The Tonight Show host revealed how he modeled his career after Carson's.
"Johnny became my role model — except for alcohol," Leno wrote. "Johnny enjoyed a drink every now and then. I tried to follow his example. Like Johnny, I never did commercials because when you’re on TV every night, nobody wants to see you in the commercials too.
Leno makes a good point about the dangers of overexposure. The current crop of late-night hosts haven't exactly avoided other opportunities, but there does seem to be a "less is more" approach to appearing on TV.
It also helps that Leno and Carson never needed the extra income from commercials. Leno's net worth stands at an estimated $450 million, while Carson's was an estimated $300 at the time of his death in 2005 (per CelebrityNetWorth).