of derision , leaves it with some critics ' hopes that he 'll infuse the `` Tonight Show , '' his new home as of Monday , with new life . Watch how the late-night scene is changing '' And Leno ? He 'll leave behind the heavily rimshotted jokes , the Dancing Itos , the `` Jaywalking '' and `` Headlines '' bits -- all the things that drove Letterman and O'Brien fans up the wall -- with an audience of 5 million , still tops among late-night TV shows . And he 'll be moving to prime time in September . Some CNN iReporters , asked to choose between Leno and O'Brien , say it 's no contest . iReport : Whom do you prefer ? `` I feel like Jay Leno is more for men and women , '' said iReporter Melissa Fazli of Yorba Linda , California . `` Where I think Conan O'Brien , only men get . ... I do n't get his sense of humor . '' `` Jay Leno is like everybody 's cool guy to go to . You want to hang out with Jay , '' said Kyle Aevermann of
-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- You 'd think someone who lasted 17 years as host of a television program in this day and age -- particularly a show as venerable as NBC 's `` Tonight Show '' -- would be receiving praise and honor . Jay Leno has rarely impressed critics , but he 's been the No. 1 late-night host for almost 15 years . Not so Jay Leno , whose final `` Tonight Show '' is Friday . `` Without fail , Leno 's show fills an hour and kills an hour , '' wrote The Associated Press ' Frazier Moore in a recent column on Leno 's `` Tonight '' legacy . `` For 17 years in late night he has vigorously played a game of lowered expectations , and met them . '' Ouch . Leno has never been the critics ' favorite . David Letterman , who watched Leno receive Johnny Carson 's `` Tonight Show '' desk but never Carson 's blessing , has long been touted as the King of Late Night 's true successor with his CBS show . Conan O'Brien , who began his run as Letterman 's NBC successor facing howls