Jay Leno’s retirement rumor might be more than just a rumor; especially after Jay Leno’s serious discussion about the Pope’s retirement with Bill O'Reilly on Friday night’s “The Tonight Show.” Jay Leno’s usual humorous approach to his guests was different on Friday night when Jay Leno wanted to know more about the Pope’s retirement and how it is being perceived by the Catholic community and Bill O’Reilly. Is Jay Leno thinking about how his own early retirement would be perceived?
On March 1, 2013, The Hollywood Reporter wrote that while NBC network says no to any Jay Leno retirement rumors, “two high-level industry sources tell The Hollywood Reporter that NBC is moving toward a May announcement that the 2013-14 television season will be the last for Leno as host of the long-running late-night show. Sources expect the network to move Jimmy Fallon from his Late Night spot into the coveted 11:35 time slot with a soft launch during the summer of 2014 before a formal fall kickoff.”
Jay Leno, like his CBS rival David Letterman, are both signed through 2014. And the Pope was signed on for life.
By nature (and a dyslexic nature that is), Jay Leno is not the kind of person who quits, leaves his post early, or would consider retirement before his obligation is fulfilled.
However, here comes the Pope who is not that different from Jay Leno, -- and retires.
Jay Leno covered the Pope’s early retirement almost nightly during the past week in his “The Tonight Show.” While most of the coverage was with a humorous perspective (the Pope’s open car on top of an airplane, and “Pope Guest Week"), Friday night’s discussion with Bill O’Reilly about the Pope's retirement was much more profound and serious.
When Jay Leno asked Bill O’Reilly about how the Catholic community and Bill perceived the Pope’s historical early retirement, Jay appeared to like Bill O’Reilly’s answer that the Pope’s retirement was not due to some internal scandal at the Vatican but that the Pope’s retirement was due to just being old.
Many Catholics who have known the Pope’s life and his past as Joseph Ratzinger, a university theologian with a distinguished career, would agree with Bill O’Reilly.
While Pope Benedict was born on April 16, 1927, in Germany and James Douglas Muir Leno, or just Jay Leno, was born on April 28, 1950, in New York, both men have one major characteristic in common that would explain why Jay Leno would follow into the retirement footsteps of the former Pope.
Both men set the interest of others before their own.
Pope Benedict retired before his time because by his nature, the interest and the well-being of the Catholic church was more important than his own interest.
Jay Leno could retire before his time for the very same reason.
Only a few days ago, Jay Leno joked on “The Tonight Show” about how NBC’s ratings have fallen. If by retiring early, NBC would have the opportunity to fill Jay Leno’s spot with a younger host that would draw in more and younger viewers, Jay Leno might just see it as a sign that it is time to join the Pope in his retirement decision.
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