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On a conference call with reporters today, Jay Leno announced that his final guest on The Tonight Show will be the man who will replace him as host, Conan O'Brien. He also mentioned James Taylor will be on the show (coincidentally making it an all-Boston panel). Leno praised O'Brien as a solid performer and someone who has always written great material, and said he expects the handoff to be pretty straightforward. "I'm glad that it's going to Conan, it couldn't go to a better person," he said. "He's the guy, we're friends, and it's a really smooth transition."
Top 20 Tonight Show Moments
'The Tonight Show' has been a late-night institution for more than 50 years (yes, that's right -- half a century). Jack Paar, who took over the reins from Steve Allen in '57, put the show on the map, with big-name guests and outspoken antics. Johnny Carson, who stepped in when Paar left, made the show appointment viewing for millions of fans and became one of the most beloved TV hosts of all time.
Now, with Jay Leno's last 'Tonight Show' airing Fri., May 29, and Conan O'Brien taking the desk while Leno makes the unprecedented move to prime time, to a 10 PM slot in the fall, we look back and count down the top 20 moments of 'The Tonight Show.' -- By Liane Bonin
NBCU Photo Bank / NBC
20. Ellen gets couched (1986)
Only a select few comics were ever invited to take a seat on Johnny Carson's couch, and until Ellen DeGeneres got the nod, not one had been female. Good thing Ellen saw it coming. "I'm sitting on this mattress infested with fleas [in 1980], and I thought...'I'm going to get called over to the couch, and I'll be the first woman in history ever to get called over,'" she later told 'Today.'
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Ron Galella, WireImage
19. Johnny does Hamlet (1982)
When Johnny Carson took a crack at the "to be or not to be" soliloquy, it had to be good. Bringing the Bard up to date, Carson interjected fake product advertisements throughout the Shakespearean monologue to create one of the most memorable skits on the show.
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Reed Saxon, AP
18. Obama speaks (2009)
While many a presidential candidate has turned to late-night TV to drum up votes before an election, Obama's appearance was the first time a sitting president appeared on 'The Tonight Show.' Luckily, Leno didn't blow the opportunity, asking the question we'd all been wondering about: "Now, when is the dog coming?"
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17. Stewart's dead dog (1981)
An elderly Jimmy Stewart frequently appeared on 'The Tonight Show' to read poems he'd written. The appearances were sometimes touching, but frequently felt like a visit to the retirement home to humor Grandpa. But when Stewart read an ode to his dog Beau, both Carson and Stewart -- as well as the audience -- wiped away real tears.
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Gene Lester, Getty Images
16. Rivers meets River (1986)
During her stint as a guest host on 'The Tonight Show,' comedian Joan Rivers (wearing a tiara and ball gown for the occasion) chats up a 16-year-old River Phoenix. Watching him wisecrack with Joan and talk about normal kid stuff just reminds us of the charming kid he was in movies like 'Stand By Me,' the mature talent he grew into in 'My Own Private Idaho' -- and how much we miss him.
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15. Jeers and 'Cheers' (1993)
Following the finale of the hit TV show 'Cheers,' the show broadcast live from Boston's Bull & Finch Pub. Unfortunately, the drawback of having a live show at a bar is that your guests can actually drink. Several stars of the show became noticeably sloshed, leaving Leno to try to control the chaos -- and failing miserably.
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Richard Howard, Getty Images
14. Leno hosts Paar (1994)
During a week of filming in New York in 1994, Jay Leno got back to the show's roots by inviting 'The Tonight Show''s first host, Jack Paar, back to the show. Not surprisingly, Paar was once again controversial, expressing how much he didn't like the show's next guest, Madonna.
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Lois Bernstein, AP
13. Johnny climbs Ed (1979)
Though Johnny Carson always joked around with sidekick Ed McMahon, they got a little closer than usual when an animal expert brought a panther to the show. When Carson moved too close to the cage, the big cat took a swipe at the host. Carson's response? Pretending to be terrified, he ran across the stage and jumped into McMahon's arms for a clip that became a classic.
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Ron Galella, WireImage
12. Katie steps in (2003)
To drive ratings during a sweeps period, Katie Couric and Leno swapped jobs for a day. It's the only time Leno has ever allowed another host to sub for him, and he may want to watch his back. While Leno held his own on the 'Today' show, Couric showed off her legs and brought her sunshine-y disposition to the monologue, resulting in a surprisingly solid showing.
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Scott Gries, Getty Images
What he's most proud of is that he's handing O'Brien a show that's number one in its time slot, and has been for most of the time Leno has hosted. "I've said this many times, The Tonight Show is sort of the America's Cup of television, and you don't want to be the guy to screw it up," said Leno. "And I'm thrilled that we've been able to remain number one, almost, with the exception of the first year or so that we went up against Dave, we've been number one since then. I'm glad we're going out as number one. It looks like this last sweeps period, we've won every sweeps period since '93 or '94 or whatever it is.
"So when I hand it off to Conan, it's like, here you go, I left it in exactly the shape - it's like when you bring your rent-a-car back and there's no dents in it, you've got a full tank? Oh, you're happy. You feel good about it."
Although he has always been the winner in the ratings, Leno hasn't always gotten the best critical praise. He points out that the show has gotten a few Emmys, but that he's not in the business of winning awards, he's in the business of entertaining, and he can't find much to complain about.
"If you're in show business and you're working, just be happy with what you have," he said. "You've got a job and you're making money. Is it nice to win awards? Yeah, that'd be great. But these bitchy, whiney celebrities that, 'I don't get this,' or 'I don't get respect,' shut up! Shut up, you're not working at Starbucks. It's not my job. I mean, in the ideal world, the people who are perhaps not as popular and don't make as much money, god bless. Give them the Emmy and that will move them up a little bit. For people like me who are fat and happy and successful, if they get an award, great. If not, that's fine."
When asked if he might get a bit emotional toward the end, Leno laughed. "It's kind of fun," he said. "It's a celebration. I've had a wonderful time doing this, and I'm off the air for less time than the writer's strike and then we come back in September with something a little bit different. It's not like we're leaving show business or even leaving the network - or even leaving the lot. We're just going to another studio on the other side."
Leno also said he does have something different planned for his finale, but didn't give any details. "It's something really personal and really unusual," he said. "It has to do with our show and our staff. I don't want to give it away."
Leno's final 'Tonight Show' line-up:
Monday, May 25 - Mel Gibson and musical guest Lyle Lovett.
Tuesday, May 26 - Arnold Schwarzenegger and Dwight Yoakam.
Wednesday, May 27 - Wanda Sykes and musical guest Sarah McLachlan.
Thursday, May 28 - Billy Crystal, who was the first guest on the "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and musical guest Prince.
Friday, May 29 - Conan O'Brien and James Taylor.
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