O.K. - I lied.
In response. Yes I read THE LATE SHIFT. Great book. It was wrong though because Letterman intially beat Leno and it declared Letterman the winner. Leno mentioned it in his acceptance sppech for an EMMY in 1994 (?) saying they would now have to change the ending of "that book"
LENO hid in closets. Leno was vicious and ruthless. Letterman studied tapes of Steve Allen and Jack Paar and really respected Carson and wanted to replace him and yes wanted the job badly. Leno did not thank Carson. Leno wanted to be #1. He is obsessed. It is really sick. It is not about the money. It is about having something and making sure nobody else has it
In 5-10 years as Leno gets too old for the fake high fives and dopey humorthen what? That was my point. Then what? A failed franchise destroyed by one man's ego.
He had a good run. He was #1. Now he returns to a damaged franchise hated by fellow comics and the media elite. Will the average fan return? Maybe. We will seeBut Jay, sir, NOBODY lives forever

I don't think Leno cares about anything except "winning" and being #1. He bragged about being #1 the entire time he was, and then he wonders why Letterman won't speak to him. His "Why can't we be friends?" crap is just a load of bull.

cbfan41-You are completely mistaken. First of all, Leno was very solid his first couple years for taking Carson over.
That is not true. Leno was tanking in the ratings until he had Hugh Grant on after his incident with a prostitute. It took 15 months for him to get his ratings up.

Well said, cb. Some of that I didn't know.

Emininity,
You are completely mistaken. First of all, Leno was very solid his first couple years for taking Carson over. There were two problems:

1. His nut agent, Helen Kurshnick. He was loyal to her because she help make him a star and get the show. But her strong arm tactics were completely insane including sending a live audience home for a big show they were going to do after the Republican convention in 1992. That along with several other incidents (double booking Dave's guests a huge no-no) broke the camel's back. NBC laid down the law, either she goes or he loses the show.
2. NBC didn't want to lose Dave. He been such a star there for so long they were trying to think of ways of enticing him to come back or at the very least, milk him for every hour they could. So they offer him the gig, under very specific conditions. He didn't get the show for like 2 years after their offer and he only get it if Leno ratings stayed the same. If Leno's ratings pick up at all, Dave would sit on the bench until Leno fell off. Then even if he did get the show, it be for less money then Leno got and he under the gun IE if he sucked in the first year.there was a loophole they could buy him out.
   It was this time at Orvitz who orchasted the whole deal (and an absolute genius) told Dave his best option was his first one. Bolt to CBS where he could become the flagship for the entire network, he can stay in NY (which he perferred), more money/points, more support and above all, the ability to own his show. Dave smartly listen to him and Carson who told him to walk too and be his own man.
   That is why Dave turn down the offer from NBC. It was a crap offer! Had nothing to do with looking like he was a "back stabber".

NBC was about to give to Tonight show to Letterman when Leno was struggling, but he declinedI guess stabbing a back stabbing bastard in the back is beneath him.
You live your life with the storms outside

From what I know about Letterman, he'd be the kind of guy who'd NEVER stab people on the back but on the front. He has way too much decency to stab you in the back. He'd at least give you the courtesy to tell you to get out of his way or he'll hurt you.

Obviously you did not read "The Late Shift" because Letterman was just as divious and cuthroat about it as Jay was. The difference was Jay understood how to play the game better especially when it came to being a team player for the network. Thanks for trying to be a revionist historian though!