Any possible hope NBC had of retaining Jay Leno at their network has now completely vanished.

In an unusual move, the talk show titan has finally proclaimed publicly that he is done with the peacock network next year, when they are forcing him to leave The Tonight Show for Conan O'Brien.

In a new interview, Leno says:

"I am definitely done next year — with NBC. I'm not a beach guy, and the last time I was in my pool was to fix a light. Don't worry, I'll find a job somewhere."

Getting fired from NBC was probably the best move for Leno and television.

He'll make mad money on ABC (or Fox) and now TV will have a third show at 11:35 P.M.

Woo hoo!

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Back in April, funnyman Jay Leno was in the LGBT community's dog house because of the way he teased Ryan Philippe for playing a gay teen on the soap One Live to Live and asking the actor to give him his best "gay face" on the show.

Leno eventually apologized, but it was his attendance at Wednesday's "Vow to Vote No" commitment ceremony benefiting Matthew Shepard's "Erase Hate" campaign that got him 100% back in the good graces of gay rights advocacy group GLAAD.

"You stood alongside Judy Shepard and T.R. Knight, you spoke about your gay friends and co-workers, and how you're supportive of their relationships and desire to marry," Damon Romine, Director of Media Entertainment at GLAAD wrote in an open letter to Leno posted on GLAAD's web site, US Weekly reports.

Romine also said, "Straight allies like Jay can be some of the most effective and powerful voices in our struggle for fundamental freedoms."

GLAAD is a useless org, but Jay's actions and words ARE very helpful!

[Image via WENN.]

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As we've known for a while now, when 2009 comes around, Jay Leno's contract is set to expire and he will be given a "forced retirement". In his place will be Conan O'Brien hosting the Tonight Show on NBC, starting in May '09.

So, who will be replacing O'Brien as host of Late Night??????

Rumor was it might be Jimmy Fallon. And, guess what? Reports are confirming it's true.

Fallon is said to be excited about taking over Conan's position. Duh!

NBC is set to make the formal announcement of Fallon joining the show around mid-May.

How does Carson Daly feel about the snub?????

[Image via WENN.]

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Jay Leno whipped one out on her last night!

Click here to see what happens when our favorite closeted lesbian is confronted by one of her biggest fears.

So Freudian!

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Conan O'Brien is set replace Jay Leno on the Tonight Show next year. And, as has widely been reported, Jay don't wanna go!

Leno remains the king of latenight and most of the rival networks and major studios are trying to court him.

The New York Times has a detailed article about all the behind-the-scenes offers being quietly sent to Leno.

The riches and most unique comes from Sony.

Sony Pictures Television has made an approach through intermediaries to let Mr. Leno and his representatives know that as soon as he is allowed to discuss his next move, the studio will make him a rich offer for a syndicated late-night show that would make him the highest-paid host in late-night television, put his name on a new theater on the Sony lot and give him a financial interest in Sony music artists who appear on his show.

Jay's not in it for the money, though. So it might take more than just a huge payday to lure him.

He obviously loves what he does, and at only 57 years old - he's still got a good 10+ years left in him as a talk show host.

It will be so much fun to see NBC scramble and try (at all costs) to keep him over the next year!

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Jay Leno and Jimmy Kimmel struck up a new friendship recently. The pair bonded over the Hollywood writers strike and how much it sucks for everyone involved.

Thursday night, in a first for the two, each appeared on the other's talk show for the first time.

Above, check out a clip of Leno on Jimmy Kimmel Live.

At the end of the segment, Jay shook Jimmy’s hand and said, “We should do this more often.” Jimmy replied, “We can do this every week…we may have to!”

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When Jay Leno returned to the airwaves on Wednesday without his striking scribes, he announced that he had written his opening monologue, a violation of the Writers Guild strike rules.

Tisk. Tisk.

The WGA sent out the following statement on Thursday, reprimanding educating Leno about his responsibilities.

"A discussion took place today between Jay Leno and the Writers Guild to clarify to him that writing for The Tonight Show constitutes a violation of the Guilds' strike rules."

David Letterman will have an advantage over Leno for the time being. The Late Show host is back with his entire writing staff, a deal he was able to broker independently with the Writers Guild because Letterman, unlike Leno, owns his show.

[Image via Mavrix Online.]

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Finally!

Feeling an intense backlash in Hollywood, Jay Leno has agreed to pay his staff out of his own pocket since they were all fired by NBC as a result of the writers' strike on Friday.

Jay was the only major late night talk show host NOT to support his staff.

He must not care too much about them, though, Leno has only agreed to pay their salary for one week.

[Image via Mavrix Online.]

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Tisk tisk.

NBC is trying to strong arm Jay Leno back to the Tonight Show, the very same program they are basically forcing him to leave against his own will in a year and a half.

The funnyman with the heart of gold has been supporting his writers by walking out in solidarity and not crossing the picket line.

But, now, NBC has informed all nonwriting staff that they will be fired at the end of next week if Leno doesn't return.

Ewwww. That's all sorts of wrong!

“I talk to Jay every day, and he will not be the first [late-night host] to cross the picket line,” said Tonight Show head writer Joe Medeiros, also a strike captain for the Writers Guild of America.

So, in an attempt to save people's jobs and also lure Leno back, NBC is "looking into" the possibility of having guest hosts fill in while Jay is gone.

How shady of NBC!

[Image via Mavrix Online.]

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