Report: NBC Eyeing Howard Stern For ‘Late Night’

Hot on the heels of the recent report that NBC is looking to retire Jay Leno when his Tonight Show contract ends next year and replace him with current Late Night host Jimmy Fallon, comes a new story that the network is eyeing longtime radio "shock jock" and current America's Got Talent judge Howard Stern to take over for Fallon on the later show when that happens.

The New York Post's Linda Stasi reported Wednesday (March 6th) that Stern is being, quote, "groomed" by NBC for the job, citing sources close to him, although Stasi said someone she described as a "high-placed source" at NBC denied the rumor.

Some factors argue against it, most prominently Stern's raunchy reputation, although the time he's put in on America's Got Talent showing he can perform clean could help mitigate that. Then there's the age concern: if NBC is looking to move on from Leno because he's too old, why would they hire Stern, who at 59 is just three years younger than him, to host Late Night, which traditionally has a younger host and skews towards a younger audience?