Please speculate on the Letterman-Lendo commercial

[Judge Smails]

I don't know why, but I'm obsessed with this thing and have been talking about it since it aired. My wife finally had to scream at me "It's just a fucking commercial - forget about it!" and went to bed.

I don't know if this was discussed in the Super Bowl viewing thread already. I wasn't sure if this belonged in the Lendo thread either.

Who thought this thing up? Did NBC give Lendo the OK to do this? Why would Lendo do a promo spot for Letterman making fun of himself? Why would Letterman have Lendo in his spot essentialy showing the country that Lendo's a good sport to allow himself to be goofed on? Wouldn't it be to Letterman's advantage to allow everyone to continue to view Lendo as a villain and not a good sport? Isn't this counter-productive to The Late Show and CBS by reminding everyone that Dave and Lendo will be in compettion again? Is it just a fucking commercial and should I just forget about it?


http://<OBJECT width=425 height=344>
&nbsp
&nbsp
<embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-KSKkmypTZM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></OBJECT> (http://<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/-KSKkmypTZM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowScriptAccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/-KSKkmypTZM&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&hl=en_US&feature=player_embedded&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" allowScriptAccess="always" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>)

[Fallon]

I just read that it was Dave's idea, he did something similar with Oprah in 07. Oprah and Leno were on board and NBC said it was okay. So Op and Jay flew in Tuesday and were brought in secretly.

Apparently Jay had a fake mustache as well so he wouldn't be seen.

[disneyspy]

i couldnt believe they got oprah to sit next to dave,i think it was all cgi

[pennington]

So Op and Jay flew in Tuesday and were brought in secretly.

So that's why Jay didn't do a show Tuesday. NBC replayed an hour of the previous week's Biggest Loser and then showed the two hour new episode.

[Don Stugots]

So that's why Jay didn't do a show Tuesday. NBC replayed an hour of the previous week's Biggest Loser and then showed the two hour new episode.

he didnt do a show? i didnt notice.

[paulisded]

http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/how-the-letterman-oprah-leno-super-bowl-ad-came-together/

How the Letterman-Oprah-Leno Super Bowl Ad Came Together
By BILL CARTER

Jay and Dave together? Could it be true?

It is, and there they were, Jay Leno and David Letterman sitting on a couch – with Oprah Winfrey between them — upstairs at the Ed Sullivan Theater, where Mr. Letterman tapes his show.

The spot was shot last Tuesday afternoon, under the strictest of secrecy which involved both Mr. Leno and Ms. Winfrey flying in surreptitiously to New York, and arriving incognito at the theater, while Mr. Letterman was in the midst of taping his show for that night. It also involved Jay wearing a disguise: hooded sweatshirt, glasses and faux mustache. If you happened to be on Broadway between 53rd and 54th street last Tuesday about 4:15, you might have seen a man fitting that description slip into the theater by a small entrance under the marquee.

According to staff members of the “Late Show with David Letterman” who were on the scene that day — including the executive producer, Rob Burnett – it all happened because Mr. Letterman had an idea he thought would be truly funny: a Super Bowl ad that featured the two longest-running adversaries in late night, sitting with Ms. Winfrey as though at a Super Bowl party.

What gave the idea extra spin, of course, was that the relationship between Mr. Letterman and Mr. Leno has been especially fractious of late in the wake of NBC’s moves that led to the departure of Conan O’Brien from the “Tonight” show and Mr. Leno’s impending return to the show, where he will once again go head to head with Mr. Letterman.

In the weeks since the decision was announced, Mr. Letterman had been notably acerbic in his on-air jokes about Mr. Leno, suggesting he was a schemer in some way in the moves that led to the changes in late night, and Mr. Leno had responded with jokes about Mr. Letterman’s well-covered romantic entanglements.

That added to the surprise viewers encountered when the ad came up and there the two comics were, flanking Ms. Winfrey, in essence for a promotion for Mr. Letterman’s show.

As Mr. Burnett described it, Mr. Letterman had the idea to invite Mr. Leno to participate, playing off a similar ad he put together with Ms. Winfrey the last time CBS had the Super Bowl, in 2007. “Dave wrote the bit himself,” Mr. Burnett said. “He just thought: it’s the Super Bowl, you’re supposed to entertain people.”

Steps were taken to contact Ms. Winfrey, who agreed immediately, Mr. Burnett said, and then Mr. Leno. Mr. Burnett said he spoke with Mr. Leno’s executive producer, Debbie Vickers. “She asked if this was for real and then she laughed for about 10 minutes,” Mr. Burnett said.

Mr. Leno quickly agreed, but the idea had to be passed by the top NBC executives, including the chief executive, Jeff Zucker. Permission was granted.

Mr. Leno was able to get Tuesday free – NBC had rearranged its schedule to pre-empt his 10 p.m. show that night — and took the NBC corporate jet, Mr. Burnett said. There seemed little chance though that Mr. Leno could sneak into Mr. Letterman’s theater unseen, so the idea was hatched to try to sneak him in during a live taping, in disguise.

Both guests turned up while Mr. Letterman was on stage doing his show. They were kept in a secret green room until the show was over and the theater was cleared. Then Mr. Leno and Ms. Winfrey went up to the theater balcony where a living room set was fashioned with a faux TV and a couch.

Mr. Letterman arrived a short time later. The two late-night rivals greeted each other warmly, Mr. Burnett said. “It was very friendly, very professional, totally cordial,” he said. “You could tell these were two guys who have known each other for a long time.”

The idea Mr. Letterman came up with was for him to be first seen alone, complaining about being at the worst Super Bowl party ever — then to be seen in a two-shot with Ms. Winfrey as he had been in 2007, with her telling him to be nice. And then Mr. Leno would be revealed at the other end of the couch saying that Mr. Letterman was only complaining because he was there.

Mr. Letterman followed doing a mock-Jay voice. The 15-second spot was shot quickly and efficiently, Mr. Burnett said. “I’d say it took no more that 20 or 30 minutes,” he said.

“I think everybody wanted to do it just because they all knew it would get attention and they all just wanted to do something funny.”

After the taping was completed, Mr. Letterman thanked his guests and they said a cordial goodbye, Mr. Burnett said. The two stars slipped back out into the Manhattan night, Mr. Leno back in his faux mustache.

“This wasn’t done to help Dave or to help Jay,” Mr. Burnett said, “though I think it does help both of them. It was just done because Dave thought it would be funny and would entertain people. Nothing went beyond that.”

[Judge Smails]

Still makes no sense to me why either one would agree to it.

[Furtherman]

Still makes no sense to me why either one would agree to it.

Why? It was the biggest surprise of the night, in regards to the commercial aspect.

Jay is looking to improve his image, and what better way than a self-deprecating spot with your biggest competitor? It was a brilliant move that garnered a lot of press, speculation, and has even kept you wondering about it into the next day.

That's what ads are supposed to do - successful ones.

[Judge Smails]

Why? It was the biggest surprise of the night, in regards to the commercial aspect.

Jay is looking to improve his image, and what better way than a self-deprecating spot with your biggest competitor? It was a brilliant move that garnered a lot of press, speculation, and has even kept you wondering about it into the next day.

That's what ads are supposed to do - successful ones.

Yeah, but it was a Letterman ad. Why would Dave seemingly go out of his way to rehabilitate the public image of the guy who used to kick his ass in the ratings and is going back to the same job?

[Furtherman]

Yeah, but it was a Letterman ad. Why would Dave seemingly go out of his way to rehabilitate the public image of the guy who used to kick his ass in the ratings and is going back to the same job?

Seriously? Your wife is right. Forget about it.

[Death Metal Moe]

I think it's just Letterman's weird sense of humor and he thought it would be funny. And it was kinda funny.

[Judge Smails]

Seriously? Your wife is right. Forget about it.

I can't. It consumes my every waking moment and haunts my dreams.

If Jimmy Kimmel and Conan do a response ad my cranium will burst with the force of a thousand exploding suns.

[hanso]

Jay played nice. Look how he took it on the chin. When he had that Kimmel spot on his own show before.

[pennington]

Yeah, but it was a Letterman ad. Why would Dave seemingly go out of his way to rehabilitate the public image of the guy who used to kick his ass in the ratings and is going back to the same job?

Letterman's image needed help too. Frankly, it was good for all three involved, nobody will remember it was a Letterman ad. It's all just showbiz, son.

BTW, Oprah is a horrible actress...

[lleeder]

I agree with Smails. How does this help Letterman? He has lost to Jay consistently for years and years. Now for the first time Jay is finally in a position where he looks like shit. What does Dave do? Help him come off like a good guy again? For yes a funny commercial but who cares? He could have owned late night if kept pounding on Jay. It would have been great to see those guys go at each other for months even years. Now anytime they make fun of each other we'll all know the truth. Its all bullshit. Show Business. Santa Clause isn't real.

[A.J.]

Jay played nice. Look how he took it on the chin.

With his chin, he can afford to.

[Furtherman]

I agree with Smails. How does this help Letterman? He has lost to Jay consistently for years and years. Now for the first time Jay is finally in a position where he looks like shit. What does Dave do? Help him come off like a good guy again? For yes a funny commercial but who cares? He could have owned late night if kept pounding on Jay. It would have been great to see those guys go at each other for months even years. Now anytime they make fun of each other we'll all know the truth. Its all bullshit. Show Business. Santa Clause isn't real.

I hope you and Smails just heard Ron's take on the commercial. It was spot on. Nothing to be confused about.

[lleeder]

I hope you and Smails just heard Ron's take on the commercial. It was spot on. Nothing to be confused about.

Ron said he fucked up. "Never break kayfabe"

[TripleSkeet]

They are entertainers and comedians. The saw a spot to do something funny that people will talk about. So they did it.

And the fact you keep saying Lendo really gets annoying after awhile.

[Judge Smails]

Lendo

[Jujubees2]

I can't. It consumes my every waking moment and haunts my dreams.

If Jimmy Kimmel and Conan do a response ad my cranium will burst with the force of a thousand exploding suns.

I heard they have one planned for the Stanley Cup finals...

[lleeder]

I heard they have one planned for the Stanley Cup finals...

Thats good at least it wont be seen by anyone.

[midwestjeff]

Apparently Jay had a fake mustache as well so he wouldn't be seen.

He should have just walked around telling funny jokes instead.

No one would ever recognize him then.

[opie's twisted balls]

i couldnt believe they got oprah to sit next to dave,i think it was all cgi
Wasn't CGI, just a very big couch to fit her fat ass

BTW, Oprah is a horrible actress...
http://i139.photobucket.com/albums/q304/Lolat260/The_color_purple_oprah_winfrey.jpg