Is Jay Leno on his way out?

Is Jay Leno leaving the late night television game? One recent report suggests that yes, his reign as the host of the Tonight Show will come to a close next year. NBC is in major trouble with ratings, especially the late-night spots, and quite honestly, Leno's show is terribly dull. I think it's high time he moved on.

Now the question becomes: Who will eventually replace Jay Leno as the Tonight Show host? The Hollywood Reporter claims that NBC plans to replace Leno with Jimmy Fallon in 2014, and that an official announcement about the shake up is coming in a matter of months. Even if this latest report proves untrue, Leno will eventually retire. NBC denies any exit plan for Leno, but it's going to happen at some point. Fallon does a decent enough job hosting Late Night, so it seems logical he's the heir apparent.

Is Jimmy Fallon the best choice? Personally I'd much prefer Conan O'Brien, but we all know how that went down in 2009. It was ugly, and it soured me permanently on late night TV. Truth be told, I can't stand Jay Leno. I find him boring and more than a little irritating. You could replace him with just about anyone and it would be an improvement. Actually, a blank TV screen with white noise would be preferable.

Still, someone's got to step up and fill Jay Leno's shoes. The Hollywood Reporter says NBC execs are still deciding exactly what to do, but they've got to do something to counter the great ratings that Jimmy Kimmel is getting over on ABC, especially with younger viewers.

Those of you who still watch late night television: What do you think about the possible ousting of Jay Leno? Is this a good plan on NBC's part, or another disaster in the making, like the one we saw in 2009 with Conan O'Brien? And, do you think Jimmy Fallon is the right person to replace Leno? If not, who would you choose?

Photo courtesy of The Hollywood Reporter