Letterman beats Leno

Letterman beat Leno in Banjo's Mini Poll. No big surprise. The vote was 73 percent for Dave, 27 percent for Jay. Total votes cast: 45.

So why does Leno beat Letterman in the ratings?

Leno might have answered that question himself in an interview some months ago. Jay calls himself a comic, a teller of jokes. Letterman, on the other hand, is a broadcaster. I don't think he meant that as a slight.

If you compare the pair's interviewing styles, it's no contest who is superior. Jay's all about "good-natured ribbing," nothing serious or halfway interesting. Dave's a darn good interviewer, especially if he's interested in the guest. He did a great interview with Lance Armstrong about 10 days ago. If Jay had interviewed Armstrong, it would have been all about bicycle jokes.

On the other hand, Dave can run things into the ground. It's almost as if he's thinking, yeah, this is stupid and you're tired of it, but I'm gonna keep doing it because it's stupid, and the more I do it, the more absurd and funnier it is. Case in point: the "Will It Float?" bit. Now, the latest gag that will be run interminably is the bit where someone has to put the bear back in its backstage vault.

Be that as it may, count me firmly in the Dave column. I can't stand Leno.