Jerry Seinfeld will be the first guest on the premiere of NBC’s The Jay Leno Show.
Seinfeld will join previously announced musical guests Jay-Z, Rihanna and Kanye West. The new weeknight prime-time series debuts Sept. 14.
Leno stepped down in May as host of the Tonight Show after 17 years.
Seinfeld, who starred in his own hit NBC comedy, will be returning to the network early next year with The Marriage Ref, a reality series that he’ll produce.
Leno has said his new show will feature some elements from Tonight, but in a far different mix.
For starters, there likely won’t be the standard-issue talk show desk. Musical acts will be featured only about twice a week because, Leno said, they play better in the studio than on TV. NBC anchor Brian Williams will be filing stories that didn’t make the cut on Nightly News.
A race track is being built near NBC’s Burbank studio for a regular “green car challenge” that will allow celebrities to race electric vehicles, said Leno, an automotive buff with an extensive collection. Other stunts may await guests called on to do more than talk.
Racing fan Tom Cruise called to ask if they’d have a chance to practice–and was told no, Leno said.
The show itself will be fast-moving and will make sure there are laughs heading into the local news on NBC stations. They count on a strong lead-in to sustain their lucrative newscasts.
An opening monologue and popular Tonight fixtures including funny headlines and Jaywalking, in which Leno gives pop quizzes to pedestrians, will be part of the new show.
Comedians including D.L. Hughley will do field reports, although Leno said his program won’t have a Daily Show flavour.
