His opening Wizard of Oz skit was funny, and his monologue was edgier than usual, with words like "whore" and "bastard" peppering his jokes.
Brad Paisley did a rousing rendition of American Saturday Night - "It's a French kiss, Italian ice. Margaritas in the moonlight..." to end the evening. A fine lyric, good guitar work and singing.
In between, Lindsey Vonn looked good - Jay made sure he showed the controversial Sports Illustrated cover - and Jamie Foxx was even more manic than usual. In fact, so manic that Jay cracked that Foxx could use an ambien.
So we had an entertaining 60+ minute show, which pushed the boundaries at least a little. But will it be enough? Doubtful, because the inexorable demographics of cable and Web mean that, in the months ahead, fewer and fewer people are likely to be watching.
