Elementary Secondary Higher Ed Common Reads
0 0
Download high-resolution image Look inside

The War for Late Night

When Leno Went Early and Television Went Crazy

Author Bill Carter
Look inside
Paperback
$18.00 US
Penguin Adult HC/TR | Plume
5.45"W x 8.4"H x 0.95"D  
On sale Sep 27, 2011 | 432 Pages | 9780452297494
Add to cart Add to list Exam Copies

See Additional Formats
Bill Carter, executive producer of CNN’s docuseries The Story of Late Night and host of the Behind the Desk: Story of Late Night podcast, details the chaotic transition of The Tonight Show from host Jay Leno to Conan O’Brien—and back again.

In 2010, NBC’s CEO Jeff Zucker, had it all worked out when he moved Jay Leno from behind the desk at The Tonight Show, and handed the reins over to Conan O'Brien. But his decision was a spectacular failure. Ratings plummeted, affiliates were enraged—and when Zucker tried to put everything back the way it was, that plan backfired as well.

No one is more uniquely suited to document the story of a late-night travesty than veteran media reporter and bestselling author, Bill Carter. In candid detail, he charts the vortex that sucked in not just Leno and O'Brien—but also Letterman, Stewart, Fallon, Kimmel, and Ferguson—as frantic agents and network executives tried to manage a tectonic shift in television’s most beloved institution.
Bill Carter reported on the television industry for the New York Times and has written about television for almost 30 years. He is currently a media analyst for CNN. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a native of Brooklyn, New York, he resides in New Jersey with his wife and children. View titles by Bill Carter
Praise for The War for Late Night

“Hugely entertaining...A suspenseful piece of business journalism.”—The New Yorker

“As thorough and detailed a story as he tells, Mr. Carter entertains us every step of the way, peppering the page with more rich comedic details than your average late-night monologue.”—The New York Times

“Makes last year’s battle royale seem far more interesting than the programs themselves.”—The Daily Beast

“A boisterous, two-timing, high-stakes drama about the business of comedy at a sinking TV network.”—Associated Press

About

Bill Carter, executive producer of CNN’s docuseries The Story of Late Night and host of the Behind the Desk: Story of Late Night podcast, details the chaotic transition of The Tonight Show from host Jay Leno to Conan O’Brien—and back again.

In 2010, NBC’s CEO Jeff Zucker, had it all worked out when he moved Jay Leno from behind the desk at The Tonight Show, and handed the reins over to Conan O'Brien. But his decision was a spectacular failure. Ratings plummeted, affiliates were enraged—and when Zucker tried to put everything back the way it was, that plan backfired as well.

No one is more uniquely suited to document the story of a late-night travesty than veteran media reporter and bestselling author, Bill Carter. In candid detail, he charts the vortex that sucked in not just Leno and O'Brien—but also Letterman, Stewart, Fallon, Kimmel, and Ferguson—as frantic agents and network executives tried to manage a tectonic shift in television’s most beloved institution.

Author

Bill Carter reported on the television industry for the New York Times and has written about television for almost 30 years. He is currently a media analyst for CNN. A graduate of the University of Notre Dame and a native of Brooklyn, New York, he resides in New Jersey with his wife and children. View titles by Bill Carter

Praise

Praise for The War for Late Night

“Hugely entertaining...A suspenseful piece of business journalism.”—The New Yorker

“As thorough and detailed a story as he tells, Mr. Carter entertains us every step of the way, peppering the page with more rich comedic details than your average late-night monologue.”—The New York Times

“Makes last year’s battle royale seem far more interesting than the programs themselves.”—The Daily Beast

“A boisterous, two-timing, high-stakes drama about the business of comedy at a sinking TV network.”—Associated Press

Additional formats

Related Articles

General English Language Arts Science Collections Health, Sports, Games, and Crafts Math The Arts High School Middle School Music

Get Inspired! Books for After-School Clubs & Activities

Coordinating after-school clubs and activities in your school community? Explore our collection of books that will help students discover their passion for new (and screen-free!) hobbies. Focusing on topics such as art, board games, crafting, cooking, nature, sports, and more—these books are bound to spark imagination and movement. Browse the middle school and high school

Read more

Get Inspired! Books for After-School Clubs & Activities

General English Language Arts Science Collections Health, Sports, Games, and Crafts Math The Arts High School Middle School Music

Penguin Random House Secondary Education

© 2025 Penguin Random House

Back to Top
0
    • 0
    Wish List (0)