Manhattan Adult Entertainment: A suddenly very popular ‘Tonight Show’
Tuesday representatives of the two sides were rumored to be meeting, and it could end with O’Brien leaving “Tonight.” Until then, he’s in the odd position of hosting a show on a network that he’s essentially warring with.
And that should help goose his ratings for the next few weeks at least. As late-night shows have proven in the past, there’s nothing like a scandal to draw eyeballs.
Letterman moved into first place over the summer after a firestorm over a joke he made about Sarah Palin’s daughter, and he solidified his lead last fall after coming clean about his affairs with female staffers.
Nearly two decades ago, a then-struggling Leno moved into first place after securing the first interview with Hugh Grant following his arrest for soliciting a prostitute.