Comparison Essay Essay, Research Paper

Comparison Essay

Two individuals dominate the late night airwaves, Jay Leno and David Letterman. Leno uses a conservative humor and Letterman’s humor is progressive. While the two shows claim to be different, they both follow the same format. Both shows include a ten-minute stand up routine, strange co-hosts and interviews with celebrity guests.

Leno and Letterman both started on television as stand-up comedians. This form of entertainment still plays a significant role for both men and their shows. They make jokes dealing with the day’s headlines. For over a year and a half both shows contained at least one O.J. joke.

Paul Schaffer and Doc Reno play co-hosts to Letterman and Leno, respectively. Doc and Paul have the ability to uncoordinate their wardrobes. Paul, known for his glasses, and Doc, with his sport coats are on the top ten wanted list of the fashion police. Doc and Paul also happen to be the bandleaders. Both men can be heard delivering one liners throughout the show. Paul and Doc have achieved uniformity for late night co-hosts.

The opening of a blockbuster movie or a C.D. release means a late night appearance for whoever is responsible. Leno and Letterman’s guest list includes such names as Tom Hanks, Madonna and Vice President Al Gore. The guests change but the line of questions asked by Leno and Letterman are similar.

A commonly asked question in many North American homes at night is “Leno or Letterman?” A few years ago when the shows were first run in the same time slot, North Americans thought that late night television would never be the same. It is ironic, several years after the fierce ratings wars have subsided, that that the two most popular late night talk shows are very much alike.