Leno Feeling the Love; Splitsville for Jimmy

How much you wanna bet that come mid-2009, we’ll see the first Letterman, Leno, O’Brien late night face off? I’d say the odds are even at this point.

How’s come?

Because ABC’s chief programming executive, Steve McPherson, said – all out in public and everything – that the alphabet network would welcome the late night talk show host with open arms.

McPherson said so during a grilling by erstwhile reporter Jimmy Kimmel. Kimmel posed as a reporter during a press conference with TV critics and journalists earlier in the week.

The executive added that he couldn’t believe NBC would really let Leno go – at least not from the network. But if that was the case – then game on. He added that Kimmel would be involved in those negotiations.

If it comes to pass, then the 11:30 p.m. hour would see David Letterman on CBS, Leno on ABC, and Conan O’Brien, in Leno’s old chair, on NBC.

Meanwhile, Kimmel’s got his own fires to put out. Or rather, he has put those fires already.

News reports earlier in the week announced Kimmel’s split from longtime girlfriend and fellow comedian Sarah Silverman.

Maybe Kimmel just got a little too close to Ben Affleck.