So I guess this is old news, but it’s something I just learned. Apparently This is the second time Jay Leno screwed someone out of The Tonight Show.

I saw the clip where Letterman gave his opinion on The Tonight Show situation in favor of Conan. He mentioned “vintage Jay” but I really didn’t get that reference. This article explains that Leno and Letterman used to be good buddies, maybe even best friends. Even though Jay was the default guest host for The Tonight Show, Carson and his team had picked Letterman as his successor. When Johnny finally announced his plan to retire, Jay totally snuck behind Letterman’s back, making secret deals and kissing up to executives and got the job. That is also why Johnny Carson never made an appearance on The Tonight Show after Jay took over. What a snake.