The Late Shift (book)

The Late Shift: Letterman, Leno, & the Network Battle for the Night is a non-fiction book written by Bill Carter, published in 1994. It chronicles the intense competition between David Letterman and Jay Leno to succeed Johnny Carson as host of The Tonight Show on NBC in the early 1990s. The book details the personalities involved, the complex negotiations, and the behind-the-scenes maneuvering that ultimately led to Leno being selected over Letterman, prompting Letterman to leave NBC for CBS. It provides a detailed look at the power dynamics within network television and the high stakes involved in securing a coveted late-night slot. The Late Shift became a bestseller and was adapted into a television movie of the same name in 1996. The book is considered a definitive account of the events surrounding the transition of The Tonight Show and its lasting impact on the late-night television landscape.