Jay Leno and Jimmy Fallon bridged their two shows Monday night with a duet from "West Side Story" that addressed reports that Fallon will take over "The Tonight Show" by next fall.
The idea was to show that there was no bad blood between the hosts. In the sketch, Fallon comes off as innocent in NBC's plans to move him up an hour in the late night lineup, and Leno seems tired and sympathetic.
"I've been through this before, y'know. Gotta admit I get a little sick of all this," Leno says, alluding to past disputes over "The Tonight Show" with Conan O'Brien and David Letterman.
Soon the music from "Tonight" begins, and Fallon sings: "In the news all they do is say I'm replacing you, they think I can woo the demo."
Leno, also in song, weighs his career prospects: "Tonight, tonight, I've got Fox on the line, or maybe I could take over for Dave."
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But the sketch cut another reference to the possibility that Leno could leave NBC for Fox once his contract expires next year.
The sketch begins with Leno being barraged with questions about his future as he walks backstage. That sequence also appeared in a preview of the sketch NBC sent out to reporters Monday.
But one question that appears in the preview was cut from the final version. That question: "Are you gonna go to Fox?"
If that question had made it into the final version, that would have meant two references to Leno possibly jumping to Fox in one four-minute skit. Maybe it just felt like overkill. NBC told TheWrap the question was cut for time, noting that the other Fox reference remained in the song.
Watch the teaser with the Fox question (at :07):
