Jay Leno comments on Conan O'Brien's farewell, says hosting You Bet Your Life is a chance to do an apolitical TV show

Deadline

Leno's reboot of the classic game show, famously hosted by Groucho Marx, began airing on Fox stations Monday. In an interview with Deadline, Leno said the show's draw was it being straight down the middle. “Every comedy show now is just divided by politics,” he said. “When I started The Tonight Show, we used to get credit for making fun of both sides equally. That lasted only so long, and then people started yelling at you for not taking one side or the other.” Leno added that "it’s fascinating. If you don’t bring up politics, you find you have a lot in common with people you don’t agree with politically." TV station owners sparked to the concept, he added, because they don’t want to “alienate half their audience.” Asked about Conan's late-night signoff in June after 11 years on TBS, Leno responded by alluding to the drama from 11 years ago of him taking back The Tonight Show: “He’s very good. People get mad at me because somehow I …. It’s a network decision,” he said, adding: “They take the show away and then they go, ‘Will you come back?’ And you go, ‘Really? Is that what you want? Fine.’ I certainly hold no ill will. It’s a business.” ALSO: You Bet Your Life also reunites Leno with Tonight Show bandleader Kevin Eubanks.