Jay Leno's Last 'Tonight Show' Date Set: Jimmy Fallon Taking Over During 2014 Winter Olympics, NBC Trying to Keep Leno? 'Tonight Show' Still Winning Ratings

Jay Leno's final Tonight Show date has been set. NBC, Leno, and Jimmy Fallon are now officially locked in for another try at handing over the reigns of the historic Tonight Show hosting duties. Deadline reports that Leno's final show will be February 6, 2014. However, the Tonight Show staff will continue to get paid for the remainder of Leno's contract, which runs through September. Fallon will then start hosting during the 2014 Winter Olympics, in its second week when the ratings are reportedly at their best. Fallon's first day will reportedly be February 24, 2014. However, will this transition go smoother than the last debacle when NBC tried to hand over the reigns to Conan O'Brien?

Seth Meyers will also begin hosting Late Night, taking over for Fallon at 12:30am. There is no reported start date for Meyers, but one would have to assume it would come right around the same time of Fallon's start at the Tonight Show. Maybe the most interesting part of Deadline's report; however, is the mention of NBC president Bob Greenblatt saying that the network is negotiating with Leno to stay with NBC. "Nothing would make us happier for Jay, a la Bob Hope, to have presence at the network, we're really hoping to do that, post February," Greenblatt said at Summer TV Press Tour 2013. Deadline reports that Greenblatt said the network is going over "various ideas" with Leno for him to stay with the network.

While this reeks of déjà vu, NBC hopefully learned from their last mistake with Conan and Leno. However, this situation seems eerily similar. The one big difference is that Leno is supposedly on board with this move. But wasn't he on board with Conan taking over? The problem I see here is that Leno continues to win in the ratings, according to Deadline. Nothing has changed from that standpoint. Once again, will advertisers and executives have the patience to allow Fallon time to build up his ratings? Also, will Leno be content staying out of the late night picture? The issue with the last late night turnover was that NBC brought back Leno to do a 10pm show. The show bombed, thus hurting Conan's ratings later at night as well. Who knows what "ideas" Greenblatt and Leno are coming up with, but Leno clearly loves his late night hosting role. Leno has also proven to be a winner in that role as he continues to beat Letterman in the ratings. NBC would be idiotic to try and put Leno back in a late night role before Fallon.

The problem again becomes, NBC doesn't want to let Leno go to FOX or a competitor, especially when he has proven to be a ratings winner. However, wasn't this the same issue when Conan was taking over? NBC needs to cut the chord with Leno if they really do believe in Fallon. Otherwise, if NBC is scared Leno will beat Fallon in the ratings, then why don't they just keep Leno where he is?