Jay Leno’s Friday jokes: Knifed in the back by NBC

Jay Leno doubled down on the NBC jokes Friday night.

Instead of just one zinger directed at the broadcast network during his Tonight Show monologue taping, the comedian went for two this time.

The first: “Doctors in Canada were shocked after pulling a three-inch knife blade from the back of a 32-year old man. The knife had been in there for three years! Imagine that, the guy had a knife in his back for three years. He must’ve worked at NBC too. I was stunned by that.”

And the second: “Have you heard about this alleged feud that I’m having with NBC? I think it’s going to be OK. This is real: I had dinner last night with a bunch of NBC executives. To make it up to me, what they did, they are sending my wife and I on an all expenses paid Carnival cruise. How about that? So it looks like it’s going to be OK. Fantastic!” At least the first part of that joke is true — Leno had dinner with network brass Thursday night (and now he makes two jokes about their apparent transition plans!)

Leno is facing the prospect of getting replaced as Tonight host by Late Night‘s Jimmy Fallon at the end of next year. Each night this week he’s added a joke into his monologue firing back on the issue; first taking shots at NBC’s ratings and then, the last two nights, making cracks about his own imperiled gig.

NBC has yet to confirm or comment on the reported plan.

PREVIOUS: NBC’s Jay Leno plan has some insiders baffled