Jay Leno is keeping his famous mug in the news, first with the free
shows in Detroit, errh, I mean, at The Palace of Auburn Hills, and
now by landing perhaps the biggest star in the land, President Barack
Obama, as a guest this week.
Obama, whether you like him or not, is the new president and he is in
charge of trying to fix this economy. He also can comment on the fine
line he treads of giving the bad news to make sure everyone knows
where we are and of being the cheerleader in chief as confidence is
needed to help get this going in the right direction.
Leno's star is certainly shining brightly, which is good for him as
he is leaving his comfort zone of late night comedy at NBC and
moving into the realm of prime time, shortly to take over the 10 p.m.
weeknight slot with a new show.
Trying anything new on TV can be shortlived, as networks are the
least shy about giving up and canceling shows that underwhelm.
Leno has a lot going for him: He is a positive force with good
reputation; his style of humor goes over well with crowds; his show
may struggle but it is cheap to produce, when compared to the high-
priced dramas that typically fill the 10 p.m. time slot; and he has
history on his side in that night time hosts benefit from longevity.
Plus, now he will always have a place in our hearts for his double
helping of generosity in coming to Michigan.