Outside the Chin: 5 Reason's I'm Glad Jay Leno is Done

When the Winter Olympics close in Sochi, Jimmy Fallon will officially become the 5th host of NBC's The Tonight Show. I welcome the change for a few reasons:

• The Roots are the shit!
• The Fallon/Timberlake connection might be the best variety show duo since Sinatra and Martin.
• Jay Leno never did it for me...he kinda sucks.

The Leno sucks reason is definitely the stand-out explanation. I'm not saying it because I'm a die-hard Jimmy Fallon fan, I'm not. Leno's entire tenure on The Tonight Show was shrouded in mediocre-ness and shadiness. Here's some of The Chin's worst moves.

He Stole The Job From Letterman: When the legendary Johnny Carson announced that he was stepping down as host of The Tonight Show in 1992 after 30 years, it was pretty much assumed that David Letterman would be promoted to his spot. It was only right, Letterman did his due dilligence for 10 years hosting NBC's number 2 show, Late Night. Nope. In slips this big-chinned, un-funny, B-movie hack, and The Tonight Show rug is pulled right from under poor, unsuspecting Dave.

Don't get me wrong, Leno didn't just gangster the job from Letterman's clutches, he was offered it and smartly accepted it. I'm just saying that the honorable thing would have been for him to turn it down and recommend Letterman. Only in a Disney movie.

He Didn't Keep Branford Marsalis: When former Tonight Show band leader, Branford Marsalis of the legendary Marsalis family of musicians, expressed displeasure with the role of being less of a musical director and more of an "ass-kisser" to the host, Jay didn't even put up a fight. He allowed one of the world's premier jazz saxophonists to leave the show and replace him with corny-ass Kevin Eubanks. In terms of comedy, he let Richard Pryor go and replaced him with Wayne Brady. Boring.

(Disclaimer: Wayne Brady is a very talented performer, but in comedic theory, he is the opposite of Richard Pryor.)

He Played Conan: In 2009, Leno handed over the reigns of The Tonight Show to Conan O'Brien, who took over Late Night in 1993 when a pissed off Letterman left NBC to directly battle Jay on CBS. I almost thought this was Leno's way of making up for previously not allowing NBC to follow the proper late night talk show chain of command. I was later proven wrong.

In 2010, he decided he wanted the show back and forced Conan out. Conan was last seen on TBS following a show starring the guy from That 70s Show not Ashton Kutcher, Wilmer Valderrama, or Topher Grace. Poor Conan. Dick move, Jay.

His Fake-Ass Kanye West Interview: When Leno left The Tonight Show in 2009, NBC gave him a primetime talk show. Just days before its' debut, the infamous Kanye West/Taylor Swift incident at MTV's VMAs happened. Guess who was the show's first guest was. Kanye West. For some reason (or for some unknown amount of money), 'Ye allowed Leno to son him like he was Arnold and Jay was Mr. Drummond. It was one of the phoniest displays of emotions I've ever seen on television. Keep in mind I watch professional wrestling.

His Stale Bits: Leno's bread and butter bit, Headlines, is so played out. Maybe 15 years ago it seemed legit, but now everyone knows what Photoshop is. No, people, that Wal-Mart ad from Mississippi was not really inadvertantly selling dildos.

It seems like NBC is really starting to change its culture with this manuever. Fallon seems to have a bit go viral every week, which should make him the perfect spark for a youth movement. Now if someone would only tell them that rehashing Michael J. Fox, Blair Underwood, and Sean Hayes are not applicable components of any youth movement. You're welcome.