NBC Photo: Justin LubinJay Leno vs. NBC continues!
Reports have surfaced that NBC is planning to have Jimmy Fallon take over The Tonight Show in September 2014, and the 62-year-old host has decided to address the replacement rumors by joking about the network during his monologue each night.
Standout digs include calling NBC executive's "snakes" and poking fun at the network's low ratings. Ouch! For your reading pleasure, we've compiled Leno's week of NBC jabs:
Monday: Leno started off his week o' digs on a harsh note, calling his NBC bosses "snakes."
"You know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right? St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland—and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives."
Tuesday: "Did you hear about this? A 28-year-old woman from Serbia has a rare brain condition where she sees everything upside down," Leno said during his second monologue of the week. "The good news? She's now been given a job at the White House as President Obama's economic adviser. Isn't that crazy? It's unbelievable. She sees everything upside down. In fact, she thinks NBC is at the top of the ratings."
Wednesday: NBC's ratings decline was the subject of Leno's joke on this night, with the late night host saying, "According to several reports, scientists say they are getting closer and closer to being able to do Jurassic Park-style cloning of extinct species. Imagine that. Things that were once thought to be extinct could be brought back from the dead. So there's hope for NBC. It could turn around."
Thursday: Leno decided to save himself for last, mocking reports of his exit. "Are you all excited about March Madness?" asked Leno. "Are you all into March Madness? People are talking about who's in, who's out, who's gonna be eliminated. And that's just here at NBC. I've never been in the paper this much. It's fantastic."
NBC has yet to make an official announcement regarding Leno's future. (E! and NBC are both part of the NBCUniversal family.)
What do you think of Leno's jabs: All in good fun or crossing the line? Sound off in the comments!