With two giant careers, millions in ad dollars--and maybe even an entire network--at stake, David Letterman and Jay Leno faced off over who would host the Tonight show, the most profitable program in TV history. This is the inside account of this high-pressure confrontation.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Bill Carter has written an extraordinary book.Structurally-given the mass of information,biographical detail and anecdotes involved-this could have ended up as a mess,but in fact it is clear,coherent and quite exceptionally well-balanced.Carter has to tell a fairly complicated (certainly very convoluted)story,and he does so brilliantly.He also has to find space to acknowledge and evaluate a broad range of opinions,and,again,he does so with remarkable discipline and even-handedness.Even if one knows little about the magnificent Letterman and the super-professional Leno,this book is still too interesting,too insightful and too fair-minded to miss.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
This book is absolutely riveting. No matter which late night show host you prefer, you will appreciate both of them more after seeing how hard they work at what they do.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Amazing. Absolutely Amazing. There's somethign for everyone. Leno Fans tried of their hero's good guy image get to see him squatting on a box, spying on a GE Board Meeting. Letterman Fans get to see their hero angry as heck when NBC let's him know that they've given his lifelong dream to chin-boy, after 10 years of faithful service on their network. Johnny stuck in the center, with NBC begging for his help, obviously siding with Dave, but committed to stay out of it. There is no better story for E! True Hollywood or any fan of Late Night.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great read!
I absolutely loved this book. I finished it in under a week, because it was so hard to put down.
Recommended for fans of the shows, especially with an interest in the... Read more
Recommended for fans of the shows, especially with an interest in the... Read more
Published 12 months ago by Chris
5.0 out of 5 stars
Very interesting
I goot this book when it came out. It is an excellent read and gives a great idea of the war for the late night time slot that went on in the 90's. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Lovblad
4.0 out of 5 stars
Letterman vs. Leno (NBC)
This is as good of a drama as anything on television -- or about television. It covers the late night wars as well as anything has before or since.
Published 23 months ago by J. Smallridge
5.0 out of 5 stars
Television History In the Making
The history of The Tonight Show and the battle to succeed Johnny Carson is revealed in fascinating detail. Read more
Published on March 27, 2011 by ROYGBIV
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great read!
Loved this book, finished it in less then a week. Really provided more context and back story about all of the characters and was well-written and well-researched.
Published on January 3, 2011 by DBDR
4.0 out of 5 stars
NBC at the Wheel
Bill Carter's THE LATE SHIFT chronicles the flawed transition of Jay Leno in succeeding Johnny Carson as host of "The Tonight Show" in 1992. Read more
Published on November 19, 2010 by olingerstories
2.0 out of 5 stars
Read only if you want to learn every intricate detail
The movie was mildly entertaining, so I decided to check the book out. However, I found myself losing interest in the book quite fast. Read more
Published on October 30, 2005 by Deadguy
4.0 out of 5 stars
a good read
I haven't read the paperback edition-I know it has been updated. This is a good read,plain and simple. Read more
Published on November 29, 2000
2.0 out of 5 stars
Interesting subject matter but insufferable writing
The actual story behind this book is interesting, and it's nice to get a chance to examine the personalities of Jay Lenoand David Letterman, but Bill Carter's writing is unbearably... Read more
Published on October 18, 1999
4.0 out of 5 stars
Makes me want to stay up past 11!
This is a fun book. I don't know about the rest of you but there's nothing better than reading about the behind-the-scenes shenanigans of white men who make way too much money for... Read more
Published on March 31, 1998
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