Carson unexpectedly announced his retirement not to NBC but to an April gathering at a network-affiliate meeting. Within three days, a 90-page contract was on Leno's desk waiting to be signed. Leno is happy. He's had good fortune. But he wishes the reaction of Letterman and Carson could be different.
Letterman is a friend.
I hope there's no animosity toward me. And other rivals are already beginning to stake out their claims. The one contender who has succeeded in carving out a niche for a syndicated talk show opposite Carson, Hall seems likely to continue to draw a predominantly young audience. Some industry sources, however, think The Arsenio Hall Show is past its peak as a worthy alternative to The Tonight Show. This summer will really be the test of whether it can hold in there.