Here’s Why Johnny Carson Said Jay Leno Wasn’t Ready to Do Stand-Up on ‘The Tonight Show’

The first time The Tonight Show. Instead, Carson gave Leno the advice that would lead to him hosting it.

As the all-time king of late-night television, Carson is a controversial figure to many other comedy icons, but not to Leno. While Carson’s cold, aloof demeanor and near-total control over the TV comedy business caused irreparable harm to his relationship with former friends and protégés such as Joan Rivers, Leno, on the other hand, made a concerted effort to respect his hero’s space and stature as he pursued a purely professional relationship with the Tonight Show legend.

As such, Leno knew not to take it personally when, as an up-and-coming stand-up, Carson explained to him exactly why he wasn’t yet good enough to perform on The Tonight Show. In his forward for Howard Smith’s book My Friend Johnny: The Last 20 Years of a Beautiful Life with Johnny Carson and Friends, Leno recalled that night at the Hollywood Improv when Carson changed his life by telling him that his jokes were trash. 

“First, let me say I knew Johnny Carson professionally, not socially,” Leno clarified of his relationship with comedy’s all-time greatest kingmaker. “By that, I mean I was so in awe of the man I thought it wise to keep my distance for fear of being perceived as a hanger-on or someone who was trying to curry favor with the boss.”

And, in his first unofficial audition for The Tonight Show, Carson didn’t favor Leno at all — but he did leave the young comedian with something much more valuable than his approval. Wrote Leno, “Both Harvey Korman and Steve Martin had brought Johnny down to the Improv to see me perform, and he gave me the best advice I ever received.” 

“He didn’t approve me for the show, and he told me why. ‘Your performance is funnier than your jokes,’” Leno recalled. Carson then told the young comic what he meant by the note, explaining, “You have the ability to get a laugh with your attitude and demeanor, but your jokes are not strong enough.”

“Next time you go on stage, read your jokes as flat and dull as possible,” Carson advised Leno. “If it still gets a laugh, you have a funny joke. The next time you tell it, give it all the attitude and performance you can, and you now have a joke that works on two levels. It’s structurally sound, and your performance only makes it better.”

Leno reflected, “From that point on, I made sure every joke I had followed that criteria.”

Clearly, Leno saw significant improvement in his stand-up skills after Carson rejected him, as he would go on to make his Tonight Show debut in 1977 before graduating to guest host in 1986, later taking over the series from his idol in 1992. Then, about 17 years later, Leno would again take over The Tonight Show by bumping Conan O'Brien off the desk. 

I wonder what life-changing notes Leno shared with his own would-be successor.