Oh Don’t Worry, Dave Letterman Will Be Here For A While Too
While everyone is busy fretting and fussing over Conan O’Brien’s freshman Tonight Show run, his steady-as-she-goes CBS competitor, David Letterman, has been quietly inking a deal to stay on the air through 2012. With, sigh, a bit of a pay-cut.
Letterman’s contract was originally through 2010, but the new deal will both extend his contract by two years and lower his Worldwide Pants licensing fees, because of the economy and all. As Letterman outright owns his own show, it’s basically on rent to CBS. Letterman had been receiving some $US30 million a year, but there’s no word on what the new, lower figure will be. Still gonna be a lot, though.
So, good news Dave! The gap between his and Conan’s numbers has been steadily narrowing since Conan debuted high, which means the time could be ripe for Letterman to once again take the top spot. Or not.
[THR]
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Comments (AU Comments | US Comments)
@ginger rant: Thanks for the info, I'm definitely going to check out that disaster.
@jeffslate: Ooh! Yes re: Duchovny's suckage last night! See HenryLovesFonzie's comment and my agreement above ...
ginger rant
@HenryLovesFonzie: Ooh! Agreed re: Duchovny's awfulness! Everything he said was supercalculated/prerehearsed and dangerously sex-themed (e.g., talking about his son's obsession with his own penis) for a guy who is in the tabs for being a (recently recovered?) sex addict. It seemed obvious that Duchovny felt that Conan was toothless enough not to risk an easy sex joke (even I thought of a few zingers, and I'm rarely amusing) at his expense. (I don't think Duchovny would have dared on Letterman.) Quelle arrogance, eh?
ginger rant
Here's what's interesting in the long run about these men (only men hosting the in these time slots). If they're on long enough, we get to know them as people; we learn things about them that are more personal than the job calls for. If they are interesting, they last and will build an audience. If not, they will decline and be cancelled. If they're really interesting they'll blow up on air and explode/impode making everyone uncomfortable and provide fodder for the news cycle that will last for days.
@TedSez: SHHHHH! They'll hear you!
the fung
Here's what works for me: Tivo all of them, fast-forward to anything that looks funny, and between all the late-night shows you get about 40 minutes of excellent entertainment.
@fuzzywhat: wow way to ruin my day
Hopefully this means Craig will be around for a while, too.
Pa-lease. Conan has been awkward and mediocre at best since the debut, and he seems to be getting worse. I love David Duchovny, but last night was just awful. Meanwhile Jimmy Kimmel has been pretty damn good with interesting guests/music.
Long live Dave (and Craig, too)!
jeffslate
I love Conan and Letterman. Last night I was flipping between the two 90s-style because I couldn't decide who to watch. (Also, David Duchovny was making me super uncomfortable. He was awful last night.)
@pattycakes: I find Kristin Cavalleri's 60K per episode of The Hills more depressing.
fuzzywhat
Despite the New York article, I honestly don't think Letterman cares about ratings anymore.
@pattycakes: I'd be happy with like, a month.
@kneetoe: Haaa!
Astigmatism
THIRTY. MILLION. DOLLARS. EVERY YEAR. My life just sucked a little bit more.
pattycakes
The gap between his teeth seems to be remaining steady.
GORDONGARTRELLE
It was painfully amusing to watch Howard Stern on Letterman last night outright trashing Leno as a hack. I know Stern always had a bone to pick with Leno since the whole lesbian debacle he created while he was on The Tonight promoting his movie way back when, but the man sure can hold a grudge. I think it's also very telling that Dave just chuckled and smiled along with all of Stern's rants about Leno without offering any slight mediation.
Paul.B.Dodd
Well his microphone sure seems happy about the new contract.
kneetoe