Indiana v. Massachusetts

The Tonight Show v. The Late Show

Stand-Up v. Stand-Up:

Jay Leno and David Letterman are recognized as kings of late night television.

Leno has always been more popular than Letterman (for comedic and personality reasons), yet both stand on the steps below Johnny Carson. Each stand-up comic has a strong following in America. Most people have a favorite between the two legends, but they can see a few positive traits in their “rival.” The story of Leno and Letterman growing up together in the same comedic circle is a surreal reality to say the least. Jerry Seinfeld and Robin Williams were a couple people in this group of up-and-comers in Los Angeles, which is just all kinds of epic. Of all their differences and bitter history though, these late night comics helped define a golden generation of comedy.

In a Hollywood Reporter story just released, Letterman revealed an unknown offer as Leno was wrapping his stellar run as host of The Tonight Show.

“Jay asked me to be on when he was finishing his show, and I said, ‘That’s a lovely offer, but I think it should really be more about just Jay on his final week of shows.’ So I declined,” said the Late Show host. “I think he may feel the same way about this situation.”

A surprise Leno appearance on the final episode of the retiring David Letterman on The Late Show would be a ratings smash. However, more importantly, a televised reunion would be a crazy final chapter decades in the making. While a non-reunion may be the reality, one final sit down would be closure the nation has been waiting for.

We’ll literally have to wait and see if it happens, like a certain Super Bowl party.

What’s really entertaining about their rivalry is that mutual friend Jerry Seinfeld shows that they’re actually quite similar and seem to speak about each other rather fondly in conversation before they “made it.” Supposedly, they resolved enough of their issues during the past few years to be friendly. Here’s some proof.

Whether or not Leno and Letterman sit down one final time on network television by May 20th, it’s nice to know that they respect each other enough to let the other person shine when the spotlight is on him.

And that’s what friendship is about, isn’t it?

P.S. Zinging your buddy with hilarious punchlines on national television is also what being friends is about, so…either way!