How Much Would It Cost to Bring Back Jay Leno?

PJ Media ^ | 27 Jan 2026 | Sarah Anderson

[Rummyfan]

I don't know how long it's been since I watched an actual late-night "comedy show." I suppose I gave that up when Jay Leno went off the air. And I'm not about to break any news here — we all know how awful they've become. There's no comedy anymore, just political rhetoric, lame jokes, and celebrity a**-kissing, inflating already inflated egos.

That said, clips from these darn things keep showing up in my social media feeds, and I felt the need to share my pain with someone, so I chose all of you, PJ Media readers. You're welcome. Maybe you can play them on a loop in your yard to keep burglars away because I can't understand why anyone on God's green earth would want to watch any of this voluntarily. I'd almost rather watch CNN.

The Virtue-Signaling Weeper

We'll start with Jimmy Kimmel, the man who, I have to think, keeps a hefty supply of tampons in his purse for these days when he's just so darn emotional.

"If our leaders are intentionally creating and encouraging violence and fear, then I hope you'll also agree that we need new leaders because these are not leaders," he said.

I totally agree with him, but I'm guessing these are not the leaders he's talking about....

---

TOPICS: News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: gonetothedogs; hesgreatliveinvegas; jimmykibble

[Rummyfan]

Kimmel is definitely the worst of the bunch. I cannot believe he has any audience ... or Colbert for that matter. Truthfully, late night is DEAD absent a total revivification and I don't know what that would be.

[SkyDancer]

Why?

[Lizavetta]

I wonder how much light and humor he has these days, watching his wife sink into dementia.

[DFG]

Jay Leno is currently taking care of his wife Mavis who has dementia.

[posterchild]

Probably a lot less than Johnny Carson.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

Actually, its fairly easy to find out how much it would cost to bring back Jay Leno. He still does corporate gigs and his agent could give anyone a price.

[lee martell]

Too late for Jay. He denies it, but I think Jay has at very least, some balance issues. He bangs his face and head up every other month due to unexplained falls. Sad but true.
Besides, Jay is of another generation. Younger audiences (the prime marketing demographic 18 thru 54) may not identify with him too readily.

[dfwgator]

Only decent late night talk show host was Craig Ferguson.

[Carriage Hill]

Leno wasn’t funny; find a new personality.

[GMMC0987]

Maybe we could exhume Johnny Carson. Even in his present state he’d be funnier than the current lot of hosts.

[PROCON]

Leno is still doing comedy tours at 75. He'll be in my area in April.

Pure comedy, no politics.

[treetopsandroofs]

Leno’s another media whore, happy to ho$t Pedo’s fundraiser.

https://modernclassics.info/Jay_Leno_Joe_Biden/celeb-7.html

[treetopsandroofs]

Please see Post #12.

[Strident]

Jay Leno is a mensch. The shock of seeing a host with character, humor, humility, and kindness would traumatize today’s audiences.

[Captain Peter Blood]

With the AI technology available how about we bring back a hologram of Johnny Carson instead?

[Chickensoup]

Would be better to raise Carson from the dead!

[factmart]

We have Greg Gutfeid?

[treetopsandroofs]

Leno “took a side,” and is hoping we forgot.

https://www.foxnews.com/media/jay-leno-admits-retiring-political-jokes-avoid-angering-audience-take-side?msockid=039e43939a266b2f1ac5561d9b0f6a3c

Please see Post #12.

[factmart]

Craig Ferguson is a pig

[Fungi]

Johnny was pure class. All the johnny come latelys are just nitwits, grasping at straws with no talent and no class.