14 DAY TRIAL // For the first time ever, NBC has fallen fifth in the ratings and, as fans must know, Jay Leno did not miss the opportunity to include a few jokes here and there about it in his recent routines. NBC executives are super mad at him that he did.
The New York Times blog notes that the network’s top entertainment executive, Robert Greenblatt, personally warned Leno that he’s to stop joking about the ratings or the upper management on the show. Or else.
“Mr. Greenblatt, who has the main responsibility for the network’s prime-time ratings, fired off an e-mail to Mr. Leno, according to those who were aware of the events, and complained. The executives who know about the conflict all asked not to be identified because of their ongoing dealings with NBC,” the publication writes.
“After the first e-mail from Mr. Greenblatt, two of the executives who know what transpired reported, there was an exchange of pointed e-mails between Mr. Leno and Mr. Greenblatt,” adds the same media outlet.
Leno tried to defend himself by saying all late night hosts do the same but Greenblatt was having none of it. The situation is tense right now: Leno has been told, in more or less words, that it’s for his own good to keep his mouth shut on the topic of ratings.