The Late Shift Audiobook By Bill Carter cover art

The Late Shift

Letterman, Leno, & the Network Battle for the Night

 Preview
LIMITED TIME OFFER

3 months free
Try for $0.00
Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
Premium Plus auto-renews for $14.95/mo after 3 months. Cancel anytime.

The Late Shift

By: Bill Carter
Narrated by: Michael Butler Murray
Try for $0.00

$0.00/mo. after 3 months. Offer ends July 31, 2025 at 11:59PM PT. Cancel anytime.

Buy for $21.49

Buy for $21.49

Confirm purchase
Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use, License, and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.
Cancel

New York Times best seller: A "gripping" true story of late-night comedy and behind-the-scenes drama (Los Angeles Times).

When beloved host Johnny Carson announced his retirement after 30 years on The Tonight Show, millions of Americans mourned. But inside the television industry, the news ignited a battle between two amazing talents - Jay Leno and David Letterman - who both yearned to occupy the departing legend's chair. For NBC, it would be a decision with millions of dollars at stake.

Soon these two comedians with strikingly different styles, who had once shared a friendship as they worked the clubs together, would be engaged in a fierce competition for the prize.

Based on in-depth reporting and interviews with those involved, and updated with a new introduction by the author, The Late Shift is a "vivid, behind-the-scenes, blow-by-blow account" of the fight that ensued, as stars, agents, and executives maneuvered for control of the most profitable program in TV history (Chicago Tribune).

©1995 Bill Carter (P)2020 Tantor Entertainment & Performing Arts Film & TV History & Criticism Comedy Funny Witty
Comprehensive Storytelling • Immersive Writing • In-depth Analysis • Classic Television History • Engaging Pacing
Highly rated for:
All stars
Most relevant  
Of course, it’s impossible to recap this “TV scandal“ without a whole lot of things that could be considered gossip or hearsay, but this does a good job of seemingly separating fact from fiction. Was a little surprised that they didn’t delve a little bit more into the aftermath – by also discussing Conan and the other potential competitors in succession – but I realize that the main focus was on Jay and Dave, and that’s where they kept it.

Well-played

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
For a story with so many moving parts, this was an in-depth and very well-explained story. I was born in 1995 and vaguely knew about some of the details around Letterman-Leno. This painted an entire picture, and I’m glad I picked it out! Narration was also great.

Highly detailed

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
The Late Shift is a classic book about the war between Leno and Letterman. I don’t think there’s very many books about TV, movies or music that’s better than this book. You get to see behind the curtains at a very tense time in the history of television. The late night God Johnny Carson was hanging it up, and thus began the squabble between Leno and Letterman for the show, with many other people pulling the strings and stoking this feud. There will never be another book like this. Epic!

One of the best books about TV

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I have seen the documentary HBO put out last year. I have seen the movie and this is hands down better than both put together! Great read and great performance by the narrator.

Great book even if you’ve seen the Doc or Movie on HBO

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
If you lived through the Letterman/Leno drama of who will take over for the King of late night READ THIS BOOK!

Fun if you remember

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
"The Late Shift" is thorough and complete. While, the movie of the same name and subject matter is splashy, engaging and quite interesting. This audiobook is that much better! This book explains the character of all the characters involved in this very public behind the scenes drama for the battle for nightly viewership in the mid-90s. This book while comprehensive on the subject, doesn't have any drag. The choice of narrator is a perfect compliment. "The Late Shift" is well worth your time!

Very detailed, spectacular, and riveting!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I know this book was updated to be more current but it seemed to end a little ubrubtlly...other than that it was a great story.

Choppy Ending

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Great start… weak ending… there’s a lot of history left to discuss. I wish the author could have continued

The story ends before it should…

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I enjoyed the book and the internal perspectives. It was entertaining and found myself wanting more of it each day. I was a fan of both Jay and Dave so I don’t have a dog in the hunt, which made it even more enjoyable

Very interesting and insightful

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I liked it all. The constant back and forth. The egos. The deviousness of the networks

devious networks

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews