NBC confirmed online reports today that Kevin Eubanks, Jay Leno’s affable bandleader, will step down from his post sometime after original installments of The Tonight Show resume in March. Eubanks told the peacock he wants to try other things, a network insider said, though it’s still not clear when he’ll abdicate his late night gig (or whether the entire band will go with him). For now, he is expected to be present for Leno’s much-talked about return to Tonight on March 1.
Eubanks’ potential replacement and the band’s status is one of many logistical issues confronting Leno, as he and executive producer Debbie Vickers prepare for their next chapter in late night. One thing’s for certain: he and his staff won’t return to The Tonight Show’s old sound stage on the Burbank lot, much less take over the fancy new digs that were built for Conan O’Brien in Universal City. Instead, Leno will tape Tonight from the set of his short-lived primetime show, also in Burbank, though the look of the place is sure to change. NBC has yet to decide, in the meantime, what do with O’Brien’s old sound stage – though it could accommodate, say, a multi-camera sitcom (NBC’s developing five, in fact, for the 2010-11 season).
Once back on Tonight, Leno will likely stick with the brief opening segment where he high-fives members of the audience, not to mention running gags like headlines. NBC is not ready to announce his first guest (Jerry Seinfeld occupied the chair when Leno premiered in primetime just four months ago).
Promos for Leno’s return are expected to start airing this week during the Winter Olympics — though the comedian got a nice boost last month by participating in a promo for CBS’ The Late Show with David Letterman and Oprah Winfrey that aired during the Super Bowl. The low-cost spot ended up upstaging most of the other commercials that cost millions to produce and air.
So Eubanks grew a sense of humor then..
He was the worst suck up there was. I loved the Jimmy Kimmel parody of Leno included Cleto providing fake out loud laughter like Kevin does. I hope Leno’s show tanks – I am a proud member of Craig Ferguson’s Robot Skeleton Army!!!!11111111
Agreed from a fellow Robot Skeleton Army mate. lol
Worst suck up ever? Did you forget Ed McMahon’s over-the-top chortles at everything Carson ever uttered?
Hi-ooooooooooo!
Hank Kingsley was the best! HEY NOW!
Only difference is Carson was funny
Go Jay! Jay shall rise again! Too much hate here! Geeeeez!
Don’t hate on Jay. In case some of you didn’t know, there is this new invention called a “remote control” which lets you change the channel without even getting out of your chair. If Jay comes on your t.v. change the channel. Or if Craig comes on, I will change my channel.
There is plenty of room for lots of shows on the t.v. screen. I’m sick of all the hate here. Go try to watch television in China or Russia or the Middle East.
Remote Control? Leno fans only use the clapper.
The Clapper…LOL!!! Good one!!!
I never noticed how constantly Kevin’s cackles are heard until Kimmel’s parody. Cleto’s impression was freakishly on target.
Blue Silver must be your hair color if you think Leno is funny!
Im totilly with pjcrazysmart here. yea, go try and watch your tvs in some forrin country like where they don’t have tvs. that would be hard right? Conan should be thankful if he were in China he wouldn’t have the fredom to have his own show. go try that crap in a communist black country like Ayurland. Go JAY. TEAM JAY.
I liked Kevin Eubanks, just not Leno.
agreed, i’m glad to see him leave… maybe he’s become a conan fan
Oh no! Who will laugh at Leno’s “jokes” now?
agreed! would be insanely funny if eubanks joined conan on his next gig.
Ha ha! Good one.
Not me.
nobody
True story – I once read a journal article about a secret lab in New Mexico where nefarious doctors and scientists conduct research on lobotomized men and women. Their findings suggest that people with about 95% of their brain removed find Leno’s jokes to be sufficiently funny that they actually emit a laugh.
hey, the ship is sinking! it’s better to bail sooner than later!
Eubanks is making a good move for him and Jay. He always sounded like he was tuning his guitar during the supposedly “funny” spots when the audience clapping. Jay is probably gonna rip off what Jimmy Fallon and the Roots are doing on Late Night…..but of course Jay will say it is his, an then goof it up.
The ship isn’t sinking – you just have to know how to sail it. And learn to swim.
Great snappy reply. Except you would only need to swim if it was indeed sinking. Brutal. I would say fail here if I was under 20. So just ughhhh.
pjcrazysmart, you are right about Jay. If you like him, watch him if not, follow your guidelines for the remote! There is room for a lot of different types of entertainment and the hate is way over the top.
Glad to see Eubanks leave. He is a good guitarist but truly dumb as a brick. He seems bewildered at times ewhen Jay is joking with him. Need someone quicker at the draw.
Yeah, Jay needs someone much, much quicker to follow his bullet-quick, diamond-sharp jokes. I’m thinking something like a great mastiff-shepherd mix. Instead of the typical rimshot, they could just have a trainer off camera signal to the dog that it should bark.
Why? Leno’s brand of dim-wit humor is bland and easy to follow.
Is this playing along with the sarcasm? Or complex irony? Or just completely missing it and just providing a banal and unnecessarily hyphenated put down? Are you all 12?
Obviously I was being sarcastic.
This is so true! What has always bugged me about Jay is he is one of the biggest pansies in the business when it comes to jokes. At least Dave and Craig are willing to “go there” and put some thought into their jokes that doesn’t involve “how can I say this so I won’t make anyone angry cus I must be liked by everyone”
Wow, this is such shocking news, it’s so sad. I really hope he changes his mind.
Wow, that’s very good sarcasm.
That’s just SO much better and thoughtful and biting. WOW. Mocking lame sarcasm with lamer sarcasm. Never saw that one coming. <— better.
I’ve always found the music on Leno’s tonight show to be kind of lifeless. Leno should replace Eubanks with a great band leader and not worry about his or her sidekick potential. A host-sidekick relationship should be organic, like Carson and McMahon or Joey Bishop and Regis Philbin. Whatever happens, let’s all hope everyone involved finds personal happiness and professional satisfaction.
Yeah, also the humor is kind of lifeless. They should do soemthing about that too.
Replace Leno with O’Brien?
Such a move couldn’t possibly go wrong!
They taped the old Tonight Show and the failed primetime show at the same stage at NBC Studios in Burbank. I don’t know what your talking about.
Take that, Lynette! This guy has no idea what you’re even talking about. BOOYAH.
CARLOS Not true. The old show was taped at NBC STAGE 3, new show NBC STAGE 11.
Nope.
Abandon ship!
now if they could just get rid of Jay Leno.
Leno could make amends and have Conan as his first guest. It would surely clear a way for his return and probably boost the ratings.
Conan will be on Letterman
Conan blew his chance to keep his just-moved-to-LA crew working by refusing the boss’ edict to start at 12:05. Keep him off latenight.
Whatever! He got them enough money to stay comfy until his new show starts, if they choose to wait that long. I have a feeling most will!
I think Conan will go back to writing which is what he did before. He was very good at it. I liked him on late night but have to commend the way he went about getting out when they shoved him off. He made sure his staff was taken care of and he bowed out. With that money he can start his own production company if he wants too. He can start his own publishing business if he wants too. The man has talents that go beyond the stage. I think he made a very smart move. Conan was not clean enough for NBC. He will do better on Fox or even CBS. (Though I doubt CBS needs more late night. Maybe ABC? Anyway…Comedy Central ought to snap him up quick to create a series or something.
Yikes, Conan would never go on NBC so soon…nor would NBC let him!
Are you nuts? Make ammends? My friend, Leno screwed Letterman and now Conan. This man doesn’t know what the word ammend means!
maybe Conan O’brien can be Jay’s new band leader i here he play’s a mean guitar and looking for work!!
In case you’re forgetting, Conan had a very strong lead guitarist with Jimmy Vivino–he handled almost all of the musical arrangements and was in charge when Max Weinberg was out on tour with Bruce. Jimmy has the chops!!
A man can only force himself to laugh at Leno’s jokes for so long before he reaches a breaking point I guess.
And this differs from Paul Shaffer’s fake laughter … uh … how?
Paul Shaffer has been in the business for a little longer than Kevin. Paul is a star in his own right, and I think he makes plenty of comments about what he finds funny on Dave’s show and what he doesn’t. I’ve heard him chastise as much as laugh.
i cannot stand to listen to paul shaffer’s friggin lame parroting of every other word dave says… arrghhhh!
i might like dave more if i didn’t have to listen to paul.
Who cares? I’m never going to watch that a******s show again anyway.
Right on!!
Same here!!!
Like the rest of you, we are never going to watch it again. Maybe Kevin can find a job where he actually grows as a musician. He never got a chance on Mr. Jay Ego’s show. No real music, no real comedy, all Jay all the time.
Gee whiz haters, how quickly we forget that Leno has been on top of this comedy thing for many years. Check the ratings! #lenoforlife
Mo, do you really think that high ratings always means that something is good? What about all of the other horrible TV shows that stay on while so many great shows get canceled? They are called the unwashed masses for a good reason.
Yeah, Leno got good ratings from the same knuckleheads that kept According To Jim on the air for EIGHT years.
oh my god this! how was that show on for so long?? honestly terrible. according to jim gets 8 years and arrested development gets 3. OBVIOUSLY ratings and length of stay on tv equate to quality.
Couldn’t agree with you more – Arrested Development was a brilliant show, cut short because it was “too smart” for the masses. Not to mention all the reality shows that get renewed year after year… what happened to creativity?! I need great dialogue! Plots! Twists! Smart humor! Not a bunch of drunken teens parading around the shores of an East Coast state with orange tans and nicknames for their abdominal muscles.