A major part of entertainment has long involved the collective watching of various activities on TV networks: late-night comedians, sports championships and glamorous award shows. But with the rising popularity of streaming services such as Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, the pervasiveness of appointment viewing seems to be waning.
Among the notable entertainers many have made time to tune in and watch over the years is Jay Leno. The comedian and former “Tonight Show” host said on Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air that while people aren’t tuning in to their favorite hosts routinely anymore, it isn’t necessarily a bad thing.
“When I was a kid, you were told, ‘Here's what the whole country is going to enjoy and if you don't enjoy it, tough luck.’ Whereas now you can pretty much watch whenever you want. I mean, America is changing that way, and I think it's for the good,” he said to St. Louis Public Radio reporter Jonathan Ahl.
Leno will be in St. Louis next Tuesday as part of the St. Louis Speakers Series. Ahl asked him whether he’ll be doing his monologue or something different.
“You sort of read the room when you get there. It's like anything else, you have something prepared unless you have something better; you always want to prepare for every eventuality or every situation, you know, and then I enjoy the question-answer stuff, because that's almost how you write; it makes you think on your feet and come up with interesting ideas,” he explained.
Leno added that he enjoys answering all types of questions, except for the dreaded: What’s the funniest thing you’ve ever said?
Listen to the full discussion:
Related Event:
What: St. Louis Speakers Series: Jay Leno
When: 8 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, 2019
Where: Powell Hall (718 N. Grand Blvd. St. Louis, MO 63103)
“St. Louis on the Air” brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. “St. Louis on the Air” producers Alex Heuer, Evie Hemphill, Lara Hamdan andJon Lewis give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
Send questions and comments about this story to feedback@stlpublicradio.org.
