HOLLYWOOD, Calif. — Jay Leno wasted little time in tackling rumors that NBC is preparing to pull the plug on his primetime show.
"As you may have heard, there's a rumor floating around that we were cancelled," Leno told his audience during his opening monologue Thursday night. "I heard it coming in this morning on the radio. So far, nobody's said anything to me."
"If we did get canceled, it would give us time to maybe do some traveling. In fact, I understand Fox is beautiful this time of year," he quipped.
The network is reportedly in discussions for a major overhaul that would end Leno's 10 p.m. program and send him back to late-night television, but only for a half-hour. Leno would air at 11:35 p.m. and be followed by the man who replaced him, Conan O'Brien, who would retain the Tonight Show title and still have an hour-long show.
NBC has been under fire from affiliates with Leno's new show continually losing in the ratings. Not to mention, CBS' Late Show with David Letterman regularly beats O'Brien in an hour that Leno dominated for 17 years.
"I don't think there is any truth to the rumors. See, it's always been my experience that NBC only cancels you when you're in first place, so we're fine!" joked Leno, referring to his previous reign.
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