Has Jay Leno Been Subliminally Telegraphing His Desire to Return to "The Tonight Show"?

Check out this screen grab from the opening credits of NBC's 10 p.m. talk strip "The Jay Leno Show."

Notice anything odd?

Oh wait, there's a shot of Leno's old "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" logo, right smack behind him! A nod to his past... or a tiny signal he's trying to send to NBC brass? (In this shot, imagine him pointing his finger directly at Jeff Zucker. "GIMMIE MY EFFING TIME SLOT BACK!")

It's just a bit odd, after all, that a flash of the old "Tonight Show with Jay Leno" logo would appear on NBC's air, night after night, right as NBC attempts to establish "The Jay Leno Show" and "The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien" as two new, separate brands. Why confuse the issue, even for a split second?

Meanwhile, as you probably heard by now, there's plenty of talk that NBC is mulling a plan to move Leno back into the 11:30 p.m. slot -- and possibly the "Tonight Show" chair as well. Where does that leave Conan? It's unclear. Read my Variety piece on today's hullabaloo here.