I don't watch Kimmel enough to have a strong opinion, but I can sort of see what Leno is saying. As for Leno, he specialized for years in inoffensive comedy. I did have have a problem with his OJ Simpson jokes. Sorry Jay, a double homicide is not funny.
There's a difference between mean and biting/satirical. David Letterman danced around the line for years. There were times he fell over on to the mean side. Ask Cher. For the most part, I thought Letterman was great.
Jimmy Fallon seems to be following the Leno playbook. The guy has talent, especially when it comes to music and impressions. I still don't find him to be very funny. The monologue is often painfully executed.
James Corden is another exceptionally talented performer. Song, dance, and charm? Yes. The rest? Not so much.
By the way, Fallon and Corden were recently rewarded with long term contracts by their networks.
Seth Meyers has the potential to be really funny. He still looks uncomfortable.
Kill me, but I thought Jon Stewart was vastly overrated. Brilliant at times, but he screamed a little too much. You don't like FOX News and Arby's. OK, Jon, we get it. Can you talk about something else? Moot point because Stewart recently gave up The Daily Show.
I have high hopes for Stephen Colbert. If anyone can be biting and still be funny, it looks to be Letterman's successor. We'll find out for sure next month.
My favorite comedian of all time is George Carlin. The man was more than seven dirty words. He was a master at using his voice and expressions to illustrate a joke. Yes, he did get a little mean toward the end-- the angry old man thing, but in his prime, no one was funnier.
I researched the "Dying is easy, comedy is hard" quote. Looks like actor Edmund Gwenn was the first to say it, but that's in dispute. What cannot be argued is Gwenn was right.
