The Late Shift

By Bill Carter and Bill Carter

Book Overview

Recounts CBSs wooing of late night talk show host David Letterman and how Letterman and Jay Leno faced off over who would host the Tonight Show.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1562827545
• ISBN13: 9781562827540
• Release Date: February 1994
• Publisher: Hyperion Books
• Length: 352 Pages
• Weight: 1.62 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.4" x 6.4" x 9.5"

Customer Reviews

A remarkable achievement

Bill Carter has written an extraordinary book.Structurally-given the mass of information,biographical detail and anecdotes involved-this could have ended up as a mess,but in fact it is clear,coherent and quite exceptionally well-balanced.Carter has to tell a fairly complicated (certainly very convoluted)story,and he does so brilliantly.He also has to find space to acknowledge and evaluate a broad range of opinions,and,again,he...

Engrossing

A thoroughly entertaining and insightful look at these two personalities and the even more entertaining and often comical workings of corporate broadcasting. A must for anyone who mixes business and talent relations for a living.

Gets right in the heads of the boobs who run the boob tube.

Bill Carter has done an excellent job of telling the tale of how Leno got the coveted Tonight Show gig over Letterman. Of course its much more than that because the selection of Johnny Carson's replacement is arguably one most important decisions made in TV history. Not only do get to meet Letterman and Leno up close and personal, we also get to be a fly on wall inside the offices and boardrooms of some of the most powerful...

Awesome Fight for Control of Late Night.

Amazing. Absolutely Amazing. There's somethign for everyone. Leno Fans tried of their hero's good guy image get to see him squatting on a box, spying on a GE Board Meeting. Letterman Fans get to see their hero angry as heck when NBC let's him know that they've given his lifelong dream to chin-boy, after 10 years of faithful service on their network. Johnny stuck in the center, with NBC begging for his help, obviously siding...

"Fast and Dramatic; When Carson left LATE NIGHT exploded !!

Johnny Carson will forever be KING OF LATE NIGHT, for 30 years his wit and charm set a standard in after evening programming. In this excellent book Bill Carter analyzes who will get the late night institution; "Nice Guy" Jay Leno or "Razor Sharp" Dave Letterman. It also explores how when Johnny left he not only set NBC on fire he put ALL of late night programming up in flames. GREAT BOOK! Must Read!