The Story of Late Night

>>> AND SO IT HAS COME TO THIS. >> I THINK THAT JOHNNY CARSON

>> I THINK THAT JOHNNY CARSON CAME WITH THE TV SET.

CAME WITH THE TV SET. >> WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINK?

>> WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINK? >> DAVE WAS THE NEW JOHNNY FOR

>> DAVE WAS THE NEW JOHNNY FOR ME.

ME. >> I'M NOT EXACTLY A COMPUTER.

>> I'M NOT EXACTLY A COMPUTER. SLOW DOWN.

SLOW DOWN. >> IT FELT EDGY BEFORE I WAS

>> IT FELT EDGY BEFORE I WAS PROBABLY OLD MUST HAVE TO

PROBABLY OLD MUST HAVE TO APPRECIATE WITH EDGY WAS.

APPRECIATE WITH EDGY WAS. >> YOU BETTER BE AS GOOD AS

>> YOU BETTER BE AS GOOD AS LETTERMAN!

LETTERMAN! >> I'LL GIVE IT A SHOT.

>> I'LL GIVE IT A SHOT. >> MY HEART DROPPED THROUGH MY

>> MY HEART DROPPED THROUGH MY BUTT AND EXITED MY BUTT.

BUTT AND EXITED MY BUTT. >> HOLY .

>> HOLY . >> THIS IS MADNESS.

>> THIS IS MADNESS. IT MAKES EVERY HAIR ON MY BODY

IT MAKES EVERY HAIR ON MY BODY STAND UP.

STAND UP. >> NOBODY IS LATE NIGHT HOST

>> NOBODY IS LATE NIGHT HOST UNTIL THEY ARE ONE.

>>> TOMORROW WE'LL DROWN OUT THE NEGATIVE VOICES THAT HAVE HELD

NEGATIVE VOICES THAT HAVE HELD US BACK FOR TOO LONG.

US BACK FOR TOO LONG. >> AFTER A NIGHT OF FIRES AND

>> AFTER A NIGHT OF FIRES AND VIOLENCE, FIVE PEOPLE ARE DEAD.

VIOLENCE, FIVE PEOPLE ARE DEAD. >> THE END OF AN ERA.

>> THE END OF AN ERA. AFTER RULING LATE NIGHT

AFTER RULING LATE NIGHT TELEVISION FOR 30 YEARS, JOHNNY

TELEVISION FOR 30 YEARS, JOHNNY CARSON STEPS DOWN TONIGHT.

CARSON STEPS DOWN TONIGHT. >> THE BUILDUP TO THE LAST

>> THE BUILDUP TO THE LAST "TONIGHT SHOW" WAS LIKE A TRAIN

"TONIGHT SHOW" WAS LIKE A TRAIN THAT WAS GOING TO BE DERAILED

THAT WAS GOING TO BE DERAILED AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS STAND BY

AND ALL YOU CAN DO IS STAND BY AND WATCH.

AND WATCH. >> I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.

>> I CAN'T BELIEVE IT. >> THE LAST GUEST.

>> THIS WAS JOHNNY CARSON. THIS IS WHAT AMERICA KNEW FOR 30

THIS IS WHAT AMERICA KNEW FOR 30 YEARS.

YEARS. THERE WAS THAT IS INTIMACY.

>> JOHNNY'S GOT A LOOK ON HIS FACE WHEN SHE SAYS "JOHN, I KNOW

FACE WHEN SHE SAYS "JOHN, I KNOW YOU'RE GETTING ANXIOUS TO GO."

YOU'RE GETTING ANXIOUS TO GO." I THOUGHT WOW, THAT MADE ME TEAR

I THOUGHT WOW, THAT MADE ME TEAR UP.

UP. >> SHE WAS THE VOICE FOR AMERICA

>> SHE WAS THE VOICE FOR AMERICA THAT WE ALL WANT GOIVE HIM A

THAT WE ALL WANT GOIVE HIM A SERENADE.

SERENADE. HOW COOL WAS THAT?

HOW COOL WAS THAT?

>> SO IT COMES TO THIS.

>> SO IT COMES TO THIS. I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY PEOPLE IN

I AM ONE OF THE LUCKY PEOPLE IN THE WORLD.

THE WORLD. I FOUND SOMETHING I ALWAYS

I FOUND SOMETHING I ALWAYS WANTED TO DO AND I HAVE ENJOYED

WANTED TO DO AND I HAVE ENJOYED EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF IT.

EVERY SINGLE MINUTE OF IT. >> JOHNNY CARSON WAS AND IS A

>> JOHNNY CARSON WAS AND IS A HIGH WATER MARK.

HIGH WATER MARK. >> HE WAS IT.

>> HE WAS IT. HE WAS THE ONLY ONE.

HE WAS THE ONLY ONE. HE WAS THE ONE THAT I GREW UP

HE WAS THE ONE THAT I GREW UP WITH.

WITH. >> HE'S LATE NIGHT.

>> HE'S LATE NIGHT. >> I BID YOU A VERY HEARTFELT

>> I BID YOU A VERY HEARTFELT GOOD NIGHT.

GOOD NIGHT.

>> AND HE WALKED OUT OF THE

>> AND HE WALKED OUT OF THE BUILDING AND GOT IN A HELICOPTER

BUILDING AND GOT IN A HELICOPTER AND THAT'S THE END OF THAT.

AND THAT'S THE END OF THAT. >> I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYBODY

>> I DIDN'T KNOW IF ANYBODY COULD PICK UP THE FLAG WITH RUN

COULD PICK UP THE FLAG WITH RUN WITH IT.

WITH IT. >> LIVE FROM THE NBC STUDIOS IN

>> LIVE FROM THE NBC STUDIOS IN BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, "THE

BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, "THE TONIGHT SHOW" WITH JAY LENO.

TONIGHT SHOW" WITH JAY LENO. >> "THE TONIGHT SHOW" ENDED ON A

>> "THE TONIGHT SHOW" ENDED ON A FRIDAY.

FRIDAY. WE STARTED ON A MONDAY.

WE STARTED ON A MONDAY. IT WAS AWKWARD.

IT WAS AWKWARD. >> LET'S SEE HOW Y'ALL FEEL IN

>> LET'S SEE HOW Y'ALL FEEL IN 30 YEARS.

30 YEARS. >> WHEN I STARTED, I WAS DOING

>> WHEN I STARTED, I WAS DOING JOHNNY'S SHOW EXACTLY THE WAY HE

JOHNNY'S SHOW EXACTLY THE WAY HE DID IT IN JOHNNY'S STUDIO.

DID IT IN JOHNNY'S STUDIO. BUT AS THE TV CRITIC WILL TELL

BUT AS THE TV CRITIC WILL TELL YOU, I'M NOT JOHNNY.

YOU, I'M NOT JOHNNY. >> WHO WOULDN'T BE NERVOUS

>> WHO WOULDN'T BE NERVOUS FOLLOWING THE KING OF LATE

FOLLOWING THE KING OF LATE NIGHT, RIGHT?

NIGHT, RIGHT? >> WE ARE COMING TO YOU LIVE.

>> WE ARE COMING TO YOU LIVE. YOU ARE SEEING THIS RIGHT NOW AS

YOU ARE SEEING THIS RIGHT NOW AS IT HAPPENS.

IT HAPPENS. WE'RE NOT ON TAPE.

WE'RE NOT ON TAPE. IT'S LIVE, LIVE, LIVE.

IT'S LIVE, LIVE, LIVE. >> HE LOVES MAKING PEOPLE LAUGH

>> HE LOVES MAKING PEOPLE LAUGH AND HIS VIBE IS VERY JOVIAL.

AND HIS VIBE IS VERY JOVIAL. BUT ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY CAN

BUT ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY CAN HOST A LATE NIGHT SHOW, YOU'RE

HOST A LATE NIGHT SHOW, YOU'RE AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT BECAUSE THERE

AN ABSOLUTE IDIOT BECAUSE THERE SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO IT.

SO MUCH THAT GOES INTO IT. >> PLEASE WELCOME BILLY CRYSTAL.

>> PLEASE WELCOME BILLY CRYSTAL. .

. >> WE STARTED OUT TOGETHER AS

>> WE STARTED OUT TOGETHER AS STAND-UPS, AND NOW HERE WE ARE.

STAND-UPS, AND NOW HERE WE ARE. HE IS THE HOST OF THE TONIGHT

HE IS THE HOST OF THE TONIGHT SHOW.

SHOW. >> THE BUILD UP FOR THIS HAS

>> THE BUILD UP FOR THIS HAS BEEN TREMENDOUS.

BEEN TREMENDOUS. I WANT TO SAY I AM GOING TO MISS

I WANT TO SAY I AM GOING TO MISS YOU.

YOU. >> IN JAY LENO'S FIRST FEW

>> IN JAY LENO'S FIRST FEW MONTHS, PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE HIM.

MONTHS, PEOPLE DIDN'T LIKE HIM. THEY THOUGHT HE WAS OUT OF HIS

THEY THOUGHT HE WAS OUT OF HIS ELEMENT.

ELEMENT. >> FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE

>> FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE VIETNAM WAR UNTIL TODAY, OUR

VIETNAM WAR UNTIL TODAY, OUR MILITARY USED MORE EXPLOSIVES

MILITARY USED MORE EXPLOSIVES THAN WERE USED IN LETHAL WEAPON

THAN WERE USED IN LETHAL WEAPON 1, 2, AND 3, ALL THREE COMBINED.

1, 2, AND 3, ALL THREE COMBINED. >> SOMETIMES THERE WAS NOTHING

>> SOMETIMES THERE WAS NOTHING TO LAUGH AT AND HE WOULD LOOK AT

TO LAUGH AT AND HE WOULD LOOK AT ME, THANKS FOR THAT ONE.

ME, THANKS FOR THAT ONE. >> I DID WONDER AT TIMES IF I

>> I DID WONDER AT TIMES IF I MADE A MISTAKE FIGHTING FOR AND

MADE A MISTAKE FIGHTING FOR AND BELIEVING IN JAY?

BELIEVING IN JAY? >> ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE MEN IS

>> ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE MEN IS AFRAID OF LONG-TERM COMMITMENT.

AFRAID OF LONG-TERM COMMITMENT. IF YOU ASK ME, I THINK ONE OUT

IF YOU ASK ME, I THINK ONE OUT OF EVERY THREE TV NETWORKS IS

OF EVERY THREE TV NETWORKS IS AFRAID OF LONG-TERM.

AFRAID OF LONG-TERM. >> JAY STARTED WITH THIS HUGE

>> JAY STARTED WITH THIS HUGE PRESSURE AND A LOT OF NERVES.

PRESSURE AND A LOT OF NERVES. BEHIND THE SCENES IT WAS

BEHIND THE SCENES IT WAS DRAMATIC.

DRAMATIC. >> JAY'S MANAGER, ALLEN KUSHNIK.

>> JAY'S MANAGER, ALLEN KUSHNIK. WAS THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER.

WAS THE EXECUTIVE PRODUCER. TO SAY HELEN WAS NOT

TO SAY HELEN WAS NOT COLLABORATIVE IS AN

COLLABORATIVE IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT.

UNDERSTATEMENT. THAT WAS WAR.

THAT WAS WAR. >> NOW THAT HIS TRIAL IS OVER,

>> NOW THAT HIS TRIAL IS OVER, SUICIDE DR. JACK KEVORKIAN SAYS

SUICIDE DR. JACK KEVORKIAN SAYS HE WANTS TO BUY A BRAND-NEW CAR.

HE WANTS TO BUY A BRAND-NEW CAR. HE WANTS A NEW CAR.

HE WANTS A NEW CAR. HE SAID HE IS SICK AND TIRED OF

HE SAID HE IS SICK AND TIRED OF DRIVING THAT OLD VAN OF HIS.

DRIVING THAT OLD VAN OF HIS. HE SAID IT WAS A DEATH TRAP.

HE SAID IT WAS A DEATH TRAP. >> THE EARLY DAYS WITH JAY LENO

>> THE EARLY DAYS WITH JAY LENO WERE PRETTY SCARY FOR THOSE OF

WERE PRETTY SCARY FOR THOSE OF US WHO HAD KIDS AND FAMILY AND

US WHO HAD KIDS AND FAMILY AND HOUSES.

HOUSES. >> I AM GLAD YOU ARE HERE AND I

>> I AM GLAD YOU ARE HERE AND I AM GLAD I AM HERE.

AM GLAD I AM HERE. YES!

YES! >> IT WAS A STORY EVERYDAY, WILL

>> IT WAS A STORY EVERYDAY, WILL NBC DUMP LENO AND WHERE WILL

NBC DUMP LENO AND WHERE WILL DAVE GO?

DAVE GO? >> DON'T MIND ME.

>> DON'T MIND ME. I AM JUST A TEMP.

I AM JUST A TEMP. >> WHEN JOHNNY CARSON RETIRED,

>> WHEN JOHNNY CARSON RETIRED, AFTER BEING "THE TONIGHT SHOW"

AFTER BEING "THE TONIGHT SHOW" FOR 30 YEARS, IT WAS AN OPEN

FOR 30 YEARS, IT WAS AN OPEN FIELD.

FIELD. HENCE THE INTENSE COMPETITION

HENCE THE INTENSE COMPETITION BETWEEN JAY LENO AND DAVID

BETWEEN JAY LENO AND DAVID LETTERMAN.

LETTERMAN. >> AND THEN LENO GOT IT AND

>> AND THEN LENO GOT IT AND DAVID GOES MAYBE I DON'T HAVE A

DAVID GOES MAYBE I DON'T HAVE A PLACE IN SHOW BUSINESS.

PLACE IN SHOW BUSINESS. >> HE MADE IT VERY CLEAR

>> HE MADE IT VERY CLEAR UP-FRONT HIS DREAM WAS TO ONE

UP-FRONT HIS DREAM WAS TO ONE DAY HOST "THE TONIGHT SHOW."

DAY HOST "THE TONIGHT SHOW." >> IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE

>> IT DOES NOT MAKE ANY SENSE FOR JAY LENO TO DO AN HOUR OF

FOR JAY LENO TO DO AN HOUR OF THE TALK SHOW AND I FELT THAT MY

THE TALK SHOW AND I FELT THAT MY TIME HAS COME OUT OF NETWORK

TIME HAS COME OUT OF NETWORK STATION.

STATION. I REALLY FELT LIKE MAYBE MY TIME

I REALLY FELT LIKE MAYBE MY TIME WAS TO STEP OUT OF TELEVISION.

WAS TO STEP OUT OF TELEVISION. >> IF I SAID IF NBC WANTS TO PUT

>> IF I SAID IF NBC WANTS TO PUT 30 AFTER JAY LENO,

30 AFTER JAY LENO, YOU WOULD KILL YOURSELF.

YOU WOULD KILL YOURSELF. I SAID I HAVE TO GET YOU AN

I SAID I HAVE TO GET YOU AN 11:30 SHOW.

11:30 SHOW. AND THEN THE BATTLE BEGAN.

AND THEN THE BATTLE BEGAN. >> DAVID LETTERMAN STARTED

>> DAVID LETTERMAN STARTED GETTING OFFERS FROM OTHER

GETTING OFFERS FROM OTHER NETWORKS.

NETWORKS. >> LETTERMAN WAS THE KING.

>> LETTERMAN WAS THE KING. >> YOU ARE PRETTY COCKY IN THE

>> YOU ARE PRETTY COCKY IN THE MIDDLE OF THIS NEGOTIATIONS.

MIDDLE OF THIS NEGOTIATIONS. YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF MID

YOU HAVE THAT KIND OF MID NEGOTIATION MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR

NEGOTIATION MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR GLOW ABOUT YOU.

GLOW ABOUT YOU. >> THERE WERE STILL A NUMBER OF

>> THERE WERE STILL A NUMBER OF PEOPLE WITHIN NBC WHO FELT

PEOPLE WITHIN NBC WHO FELT STRONGLY THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE

STRONGLY THAT IT WAS A MISTAKE TO LET DAVE LETTERMAN LEAVE.

TO LET DAVE LETTERMAN LEAVE. >> THEY AGONIZED OVER THE LOSS

>> THEY AGONIZED OVER THE LOSS OF DAVID LETTERMAN.

OF DAVID LETTERMAN. >> THEY STILL HAVE LETTERMAN

>> THEY STILL HAVE LETTERMAN UNDER CONTRACT FOR MORE THAN A