The Late Night Wars

Late night television changed forever on October 1, 1962 when the late, great Johnny Carson replaced Jack Parr on the Tonight Show. Johnny was the King of Late Night TV until May, 1992, when he retired for good from television or any other entertainment.

Over the years, other networks put up competition but Johnny was just too good and beat all comers. During his reign, Merv and Joey, Alan Thicke and Pat Sajak, and so many others gave valiant efforts, but could not overcome the difficult odds Johnny put up.

During the late 70, through the 80s and early 90s, many auditioned as Johnny's replacement, people like Joey Bishop, Bob Newhart, McLean Stevenson, David

Cover of Johnny Carson

Letterman and David Brenner. He also had permanent Guest Hosts, Gary Shandling, Joan Rivers and his ultimate replacement, Jay Leno.

In February, after 24 years and one Conan O'Brien interlude later Jay Leno finally retired, handing the reigns over to Jimmy Fallon who has proven to be up to the task. In his own way, Fallon brings his easy upstate New York charm to the Tonight Show, much like Carson showed us his Nebraska innocence.

Suddenly, probably as one of the best kept secrets, David Letterman announced on his show, as reported in the LA Times and elsewhere on Thursday evening, that he will retire when his contract is up in 2015. That announcement stunned many except Les Moonves, CBS Chief Executive, who revealed that Letterman and he had conversations previously over the last year or so.

So now, the two men who competed for Johnny Carson's job when he announced his eventual retirement will both soon be out of the limelight. New blood will be filling late night TV with the next generation. We knew who was the line successor to Leno. Who does CBS have waiting in the wings? Craig Ferguson? I don't think he will have the same drawing power as Letterman.

Stay tuned....