Today was the first time Jay Leno became the full time host of The Tonight Show. He replaced Johnny Carson who had been main anchor for 30 years.

His appointment caused controversy with many surprised that the host of the Late Show, David Letterman, didn't get the job. The Late Show ran on the same channel, NBC, every night after The Tonight Show.

Letterman left NBC after CBS offered him $42 million to run the Late Show against Leno's Tonight Show.

Letterman beat Leno every week for the first year.