Whatever hard feelings exist between Jay Leno and David Letterman melted away last Tuesday when the two old friends -- plus Oprah Winfrey -- gathered in New York to shoot a much buzzed-about Super Bowl commercial. Both comedians talked about the ad on their respective shows Monday night, but it was Leno who spoke on a personal level about the meeting.
At his desk, Leno described walking into Letterman's office at the Ed Sullivan Theater: "I see Dave and he puts his hand out and we shake hands ... and you know, whatever happened in the last 18 years disappeared. It was great to see my old friend again." Letterman talked about the encounter as well, but instead cracked wise about "the actors" that played Leno and Winfrey. Watch:
The ad, which was a reprise of a 2007 ad that Letterman did with Winfrey, was meant to poke fun at the recent tension between Jay and Dave sparked by the 'Tonight Show' battle that eventually led to Conan O'Brien leaving NBC.
In the commercial, a disgruntled Letterman declares that he's at "the worst Super Bowl party ever." Seconds later, the camera pans away to reveal Leno, who admits that Dave "is just saying that because I'm here."
According to Rob Burnett, who produces Dave's 'Late Show,' it was all Letterman's idea.
"Dave had this idea, 'What about getting Jay and Oprah together with me?' and he wrote it," Burnett explained in an interview with the Associated Press Sunday night. "We said, 'This is too funny to pass up.' First we called Oprah."
Arrangements were quickly made for Leno and Winfrey to fly to New York, and much detail was given to getting them inside the Ed Sullivan Theater unnoticed. Filming took place last Tuesday. Leno arrived while Letterman was taping his show. He was disguised in a hooded sweatshirt, dark glasses and a fake mustache. No joke. Filming took less than a half-hour, Burnett said.
Burnett told The Wrap that Conan O'Brien was initially thought about when conceiving the ad. But alas, the timing wasn't right for a Jay-Dave-Conan summit, and it never got off the ground.
Letterman and Leno have had a tumultuous relationship for decades, but it was recently rekindled thanks to Leno's reclaiming of the 'Tonight Show' on NBC. In the days leading up to O'Brien's departure, Letterman ripped Leno on several occasions, calling his behavior that pushed Conan out "vintage Jay."
Strangely enough, the commercial is an ad for Letterman's show, which Leno will soon compete directly against once again when he returns to his 11:30 slot following the Olympics.
I wouldn't trust Letterman as far as I could throw him. He's mean spirited, cold and seems to have "gone around the bend" lately. Jay will clean his clock, again, as usual.
I remember Letterman always bringing up him not getting the Tonight Show and doing Leno impressions when he first arrived at CBS. He's never gotten over the fact he lost out to Leno. Dave's problem seems to have been his constant aloofness and attitiude towards NBC executives and management when he was there. Leno on the other hand was always goiing out of his way for the network and dispite Carson's preference for Letterman the network chose Jay. Letterman's not the same performer he once was and he's turned many old fans, including me, off with his mean spirited and ufunny attacks on people. He was once someone I would have put along side Carson, Benny, Berle and the others but he's just a cranky bitter old liberals now and his show is the same thing night after night. He's pissed off so many a-list celebrities he can't get them to do his show. He relies on the same group of guests and his show suffers because of that. He really should just retire.
Got that right! We've been Dave addicts since the NBC days but have turned him off. No longer funny...just another hateful liberal with a soapbox to spew the venom from.
i guess david realized jay had been dumped just like him by that rotten network nbc actually all three conan jay and david were all dumped by nbc at one point or another in their careers
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Whatever hard feelings exist between Jay Leno and David Letterman melted away last Tuesday when the two old friends -- plus Oprah Winfrey -- gathered in New York to shoot a much buzzed-about Super Bowl commercial. Both comedians talked about the ad on their respective shows Monday night, but it was Leno who spoke on a personal level about the meeting.
Comments
(30)Add a comment
Tuesday 09 February
By quag54
Didn't I just read this story Monday ?
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By minorlabia19
You did. This is proof that AOL is in on the fake BS with Jay and Dave and trying to help the ratings for those two old dinosaur icons.
Tuesday 09 February
By TurnOFFtheTV
I say we dig up Johnny Carson an prop him in front of a TV camera...he's bound to be more interesting than Fatso and Ugly!
Tuesday 09 February
By Jokerneck1q
You missed the point. They're going after those people that mutilate women, going to grind them in to dust.
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By Mike
I wouldn't trust Letterman as far as I could throw him. He's mean spirited, cold and seems to have "gone around the bend" lately. Jay will clean his clock, again, as usual.
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By Dean
Letterman is still a snake.
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By TONY
YEAH AND HE SHOWS HIS SNAKE TO CO WORKERS LOL
Tuesday 09 February
By Ericsons news
Losers!
Tuesday 09 February
By Jose R. Dasilva
I remember Letterman always bringing up him not getting the Tonight Show and doing Leno impressions when he first arrived at CBS. He's never gotten over the fact he lost out to Leno. Dave's problem seems to have been his constant aloofness and attitiude towards NBC executives and management when he was there. Leno on the other hand was always goiing out of his way for the network and dispite Carson's preference for Letterman the network chose Jay.
Letterman's not the same performer he once was and he's turned many old fans, including me, off with his mean spirited and ufunny attacks on people. He was once someone I would have put along side Carson, Benny, Berle and the others but he's just a cranky bitter old liberals now and his show is the same thing night after night.
He's pissed off so many a-list celebrities he can't get them to do his show. He relies on the same group of guests and his show suffers because of that. He really should just retire.
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By chuckie
Got that right! We've been Dave addicts since the NBC days but have turned him off. No longer funny...just another hateful liberal with a soapbox to spew the venom from.
Tuesday 09 February
By Kuzza
It's quite apparant that you have NO idea how Leno ended up with the "Tonight Show".
Tuesday 09 February
By Dragonslayer
I've got a little puppet that wears a hood.If I pet it and stroke it, it makes me feel good
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By nippletwister45
Gee...Sorry to hear about your "little" one. LOL
Tuesday 09 February
By bailoutsos
Reminds me of when Dean Martin showed up on a telethon Jerry Lewis was hosting after their falling out.
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By tmo
Football is for idiots.
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By Tee winky
Hey! I'm an idiot but I dont watch football!!!
Tuesday 09 February
By Suzanne
Dave is the best and Jay should feel grateful to have shared the screen with him for the short time he did.
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By TurnOFFtheTV
That's because you've got it on the wrong part of your body.....or maybe it IS the RIGHT part!!! ;-)
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By CECIL
YEAH BUDDY LOOK AT THE RATINGS 100MILION PLUS IDIOTS
Reply
Tuesday 09 February
By Joe
i guess david realized jay had been dumped just like him by that rotten network nbc actually all three conan jay and david were all dumped by nbc at one point or another in their careers
Reply