TELEVISION - April 10, 1992

Declaration of War: Late-night talk show host Arsenio Hall declares war on “Tonight Show” heir Jay Leno in a free-swinging interview printed in next week’s Entertainment Weekly magazine. “I’m gonna treat him like we treated the kid on the high school basketball team who was the coach’s son. . . . So get ready for me, Jay.” Hall says he doesn’t want anyone on his show who goes on “Tonight” first. “I wasn’t anointed. No one put the late-night silver spoon in my mouth,” he says. “I am happy being the prince while Johnny Carson is king--he has earned it and fought for it for 29 years.” But now, Hall adds: “I think Jay Leno better just step into a new pair of shoes. He can’t replace Johnny.”