Leno Calls NBC Executives 'Snakes' During 'Tonight Show' Monologue [Video]

Jay Leno calling NBC executives "snakes" during his "Tonight Show" monologue on Monday night was just the latest joke aimed at the bigwigs at the Peacock network.

Leno said, "You know the whole legend of St. Patrick, right? St. Patrick drove all the snakes out of Ireland... and then they came to the United States and became NBC executives. It's a fascinating story." The crowd gasped following the joke.

The New York Times reported that Robert Greenblatt, NBC's entertainment chief, sent a memo to Leno following a February 28 show in which the late night host joked about NBC's dismal performance in the ratings. "It's so bad, 'The Biggest Loser' isn't just a TV show anymore. It's our new motto," said Leno.

The Hollywood Reporter recently reported that NBC is hoping to move Jimmy Fallon behind the "Tonight Show" desk in 2014, even though Leno still brings in strong ratings. Entertainment Weekly reports that NBC insiders have denied the rumor.