Similarities between Jay Leno and David Letterman - Essay Example

Jay Leno and David Letterman Jay Leno and David Letterman are prominent American comedians that are vulnerable to intense rivalry due to competition amongst them. There are a set of similarities and differences that enhance a severe competition amongst the two American comedians. Rivalry is therefore a subsequent occurrence to the stiff competition. Their similarities in their comic and presentation trends are significant attributions of the competition amongst them. These America comedians share the same line of entertainment (Carter, 2011). They do not take independent channels of entertaining the American society. These comedians hold night shows and conduct interviews to public figures. These are not actual or formal interviews. The comedians engage their guests in casual talks and chats in the show. Therefore, the interviews are significantly superficial. They identify opportunities to crack jokes as the interview with their guest progresses. For instance, David Letterman hosted President Obama in September 2012 for a superficial interview (Abt, 1997). Jay Leno also hosted president Obama in October 2012 for a similar purpose. The comedians also ventured in standup comedy as their career. Through their career paths, standup comedy has been a similar venture up to date. These comedians also hail from the same generation. This is a major similarity that propagates their competition, since they share the same techniques in executing their expertise in comedy. Leno and Letterman host shows that feature in a similar hour (Frank, 2011). They all host night shows that target the American society. This similarity in time also enhances the competition amongst them. Jay Leno and David Letterman also manifest differences that enhance a severe competition amongst them. For example, David Letterman and Jay Leno host their shows in different media houses (Carter, 2011). Leno hosts his show in NBC, as Letterman hosts his in CBS. Leno and Letterman also had different encounters of merit after the retirement of Johnny Carson in NBC. They also manifest different affiliation with their respective media houses. These differences substantiate an elevated competition amongst them. Rivalry is a probable outcome of their elevated competition. Similarities between Jay Leno and David Letterman Leno and Letterman exhibit a set of similarities and differences in their comedy careers. Both the similarities and differences are paramount attributions of the heated competition amongst the two comedians in America. In this case, rivalry is a probable feature out of their competitive relationship with each other. Therefore, their differences and similarities work cumulatively to substantiate intense competition and rivalry amongst them. Line of entertainment Leno and Letterman exhibit a set of similarities that are attributable to their competition and rivalry. Their line of entertainment is a major similarity. Leno and Letterman explore the same line of entertainment for the American society (Carter, 2011). Both comedians anchor night shows that take the form of interviews. These are not actual interviews, since the comedians crack jokes and engage the guests for an aesthetic objective. Therefore, entertainment is the ultimate objective of their interviews with the guests. Public figures are majorly the guests in these shows. For instance, Letterman hosted President Obama in September 2012 (Abt, 1997). Leno hosted President Obama in the subsequent month after Letterman. In this case, the comedians engage the public figures in a chat that ultimately entertains the American audience. Evidently, these comedians engaged in the same line of entertainment. A heated competition attributes to the similar pursuit of the comedians. Therefore rivalry is a probable outcome due to the similar engagements that compete for an intact populace in America. Each comedian has an objective to present the best comic interview with the guests (Frank, 2011). They therefore view each other as significant threats in the career. Rivalry is a definite ramification of this antagonistic perspective in each of the comedians. Venture in standup comedy Jay Leno and David Letterman ventured in standup comedy. This is also a major similarity amongst the two American comedians. They share a similar venture in the comedy industry (Carter, 2011). There are alternative ventures such as theatre and movie shooting. In their career history, Leno and Letterman engaged majorly into the standup comedy option. Occupation of a similar option is a definite attribution of competition and rivalry in professional engagements. Therefore, Jay Leno and David Letterman are subject to intense completion and rivalry due to this principle. Jay Leno initiated his journey in standup comedy in the course of 1973 (Abt, 1997). This was a previous year to Letterman’s foremost engagement in standup comedy. Jay Leno has been developing his career in standup comedy up to recent times. He hosts “The Tonight Show” in the NBC media house. Currently, he still has his engagement of “The Tonight Show” via NBC. David Letterman also has been developing his venture in standup comedy since 1974 (Carter, 2011). In the modern day, he hosts the “Late Show” in the CBS media house. Evidently, the comedians ventured in a similar career option of standup comedy. Their career paths interact in a competitive manner in the American society. In this case, their careers compete for the best position in America’s preference. This competition is a definite attribution of rivalry in the comedians’ relationship. Generation Jay Leno and David Letterman belong to the same generation. This is a significant similarity amongst the comedians. Additionally, it is a definite attribution of competition and rivalry amongst them. The ages of these comedians are extremely adjacent to one other. Jay Leno is sixty one years old (Carter, 2011). David Letterman belongs to the same bracket. He is sixty four years old. These comedians are almost age mates. Therefore, they are inclined to a similar generation. Generations have a similar system of executing diverse tasks. They also share common ideologies across their lives. This similarity amounts to elevated competitions amongst Jay Leno and David Letterman. Since the comedians belong to the same generation, they share common systems in executing their professions. This is an observable trend in their current professional engagements. Leno and Letterman have ventured in hosting the same trend of shows. They host night shows that engross comic interviews with public figures (Frank, 2011). Their shows are entirely similar in content as well as timing. As denoted previously, similar engagements amount to elevated competitions. Therefore, their similar ideologies referenced from their generation predict severe rivalry amongst them. The severe competitions have a substantial probability to develop into intense rivalry. Timing of shows Jay Leno and David Letterman host their shows in a similar hour. This timing similarity accounts for a severe competition amongst the two comedians. Jay Leno hosts “The Tonight Show” in the NBC media house (Carter, 2011). This show airs at night for the utmost capture of American viewers. David Letterman hosts the “Late Show” in the CBS media house. He anchors this show at night. Evidently, the nights are the preferred time for both comedians. Letterman also has an objective to capture the entire America in his choice of time. Both shows target a major impact in the American society by anchoring their shows at night. This is a suitable hour, since a majority of Americans are not engaged in economic activities (Frank, 2011). A majority of the society is at their homes. Airing the shows at same hours brings intense competition amongst the comedians. Therefore, it is an additional cause of rivalry amongst the comedians since they will seek outstanding performance against each other. Differences between Jay Leno and David Letterman Jay Leno and David Letterman also have differences that contribute significantly to their competition and rivalry. Media houses The comedians use different media houses to host their shows. Leno hosts “The Tonight Show” in the NBC media house (Carter, 2011). He holds his comic interviews with public figures in NBC. For instance, Leno hosted President Obama in October for an interview in NBC media house. David Letterman had conducted a similar interview with President Obama in September. Letterman conducted this interview in the CBS media premises. Evidently, the comedians host similar shows in different media houses. The media houses also compete for the target society of America (Frank, 2011). Therefore, the antagonistic affiliation amongst the media houses propagates the competition amongst the comedians. The persistent competition amongst the comedians through their media houses has the highest probability to substantiate rivalry in their affiliation. Encounter’s with retirement of Johnny Carson Jay Leno and David Letterman have different encounters with the retirement of Johnny Carson from NBC. After this encounter, the career paths of the comedians took distinguished patterns. The outcome of Carson’s retirement brought a competitive attitude amongst Leno and Letterman (Carter, 2011). Johnny Carson was the host of “The Tonight Show” in NBC. His retirement required an immediate replacement for the continuity of the show. David Letterman expected the replacement process to favor him. He was set to occupy the post and spearhead “The Tonight Show.” However, this role was allocated to his competitor Jay leno. This was a major advantage to Leno’s career. David Letterman was allocated to host the “Late Show” in CBS (Carter, 2011). Evidently, the encounter with Carson’s retirement brought a competitive mindset amongst the two comedians. Leno’s and Letterman’s shows still manifest severe competition up to date. Therefore, the severe competition amongst them is a reliable prediction of intense rivalry. Affiliations with media houses Jay Leno and David Letterman have different affiliations towards their media houses. The different affiliations with their host media houses catalyze competition amongst them. Jay Leno hosted “The Tonight Show” up to 2009 (Carter, 2011). He quit hosting this show in 2009, and sought to establish his independent show. Despite of his move to quit NBC, his independent show failed to establish. He therefore resumed hosting “The Tonight Show” after the failure. Leno has not quit NBC again up to date. His move deprived his career path significantly. It accounts for the difference in awards between him and Letterman. Letterman has more awards than Leno. Therefore, Leno suffered a low opinion from the American society. David Letterman was consistent with his show in CBS. He therefore owned more awards and more preference by the American society (Frank, 2011). In this case, rivalry is predictable as Leno is in the quest to regain his predominance. Letterman also pursues the quest to maintain his growing predominance. Therefore, their affiliation with the media houses pronounces an intense competition that may amount to rivalry. Conclusion Jay Leno and David Letterman are American comedians that are prone to intense rivalry due to their competition. They have similarities and differences in their careers. The similarities and differences have a cumulative contribution to the existence of competition amongst them. In this case, the competitive interactions amongst Leno and Letterman amount to intense rivalry. Therefore, the competition between the comedians predicts existence of rivalry in their relationship. References Abt, V., & Mustazza, L. (1997). Coming after Oprah: Cultural fallout in the age of the TV talk show. Bowling Green, OH: Bowling Green State Univ. Popular Press. Carter, B. (2011). The war for late night: When Leno went early and television went crazy. New York: Plume. Frank, R. (2011). News lore: Contemporary folklore on the Internet. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi. Read More