Jay Leno disses the free market

[Shek]

Should Leno allow the resale of these tickets?

http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/2009/...ee-market.html

This is an amusing story, good for generating class discussion. As I understand it, here are the facts:

1. Comedian Jay Leno takes his show to Michigan to help "not just the autoworkers -- anybody out of work in Detroit."

2. He gives away tickets for free.

3. Someone tries to sell his ticket on eBay.

4. Mr Leno objects.

So I wonder: If a person down on his luck prefers the cash to the opportunity to watch Leno live, why would Leno object? Is it altruism that is really motivating Leno here? Is he really sure that the unemployed person in Detroit would be better off with an evening of laughs than $800 in his pocket? Or does Leno want to play to a live audience of unemployed workers so he will seem altruistic to his television audience?

Absent externalities, markets improve the allocation of resources. Both the buyer and the seller of the ticket must be better off: otherwise they would not engage in the transaction. The only significant negative externality that I can see here falls on Mr Leno himself. In other words, Leno's objection to the eBay sale is an understandable and fundamentally self-interested act in that the sale impedes his abilty to appear selfless.

[Donnie]

he shouldnt have a problem with it, if he is really trying to help people, but i see the point, its like when the government hands out foodstamps and the recipient go and buy a bunch of steaks and go door to door selling them for the cash.

[Grees]

And what about conscience? The principle must be dying, I see.

The guy gives the tickets to his show away for free and some “clever” reseller makes money on them. Even better! The guy, who gives something away is accused of not being really selfless while doing so – crazy World...

[antimony]

Lets leave out morals/ ideals/ altruism/ personal conviction for a moment

The tickets were part of Leno's property. When he gives them away he can do either of 2 things

1. Give them away on a transferable basis - If that is the case then the tickets are now assets owned by the people who got them and they are free to use them as they please. This is not a common model for theatrical or sports performances and the like, which is why black market selling of theatre tickets is a crime. The scenario is the same as me buying all the tickets to an Olympic event and then auctioning them on ebay

2. Give them away on a non-transferable basis - this is by far the most common model for shows/ sports matches/ theatrical performances. In that case, the people who get the ticket would have no right to sell/ transfer and would be forced to sit through 2 hours of Jay Leno

Whether Leno gives the tickets for free or for five and 2 pence is a moot point. The important thing is that in such cases tickets are sold/ given on a non-transferable basis and that should be respected.

[Donnie]

Lets leave out morals/ ideals/ altruism/ personal conviction for a moment

The tickets were part of Leno's property. When he gives them away he can do either of 2 things

1. Give them away on a transferable basis - If that is the case then the tickets are now assets owned by the people who got them and they are free to use them as they please. This is not a common model for theatrical or sports performances and the like, which is why black market selling of theatre tickets is a crime. The scenario is the same as me buying all the tickets to an Olympic event and then auctioning them on ebay

2. Give them away on a non-transferable basis - this is by far the most common model for shows/ sports matches/ theatrical performances. In that case, the people who get the ticket would have no right to sell/ transfer and would be forced to sit through 2 hours of Jay Leno

Whether Leno gives the tickets for free or for five and 2 pence is a moot point. The important thing is that in such cases tickets are sold/ given on a non-transferable basis and that should be respected.

I agree 100%, but if you include that he was giving them out under the auspice of helping those less fortunate, then he "shouldn’t" have a problem, although he is well within his rights to restrict such behavior.

[antimony]

I agree 100%, but if you include that he was giving them out under the auspice of helping those less fortunate, then he "shouldn’t" have a problem, although he is well within his rights to restrict such behavior.

As I said, "feelings"/ "emotions" are best left out, they only complicate the issues

1. Is there any evedence that only the "unfortunate" ones got the tickets? Did a receiver have to hold out an unemployment benefit stub to be able to get a ticket? I am willing to bet that Leno really wanted to spend an evening of his time for free on a spur of the moment idea that this would raise the spirits of people in a hard place. I don't think he really thought of the implications. Which is why public displays of altruism rarely work

2. A better thought out way would have been for Leno to perform for free, make people pay through the nose to watch (whoever wants to do that) and then donate the money to some charity

[Donnie]

As I said, "feelings"/ "emotions" are best left out, they only complicate the issues

1. Is there any evedence that only the "unfortunate" ones got the tickets? Did a receiver have to hold out an unemployment benefit stub to be able to get a ticket? I am willing to bet that Leno really wanted to spend an evening of his time for free on a spur of the moment idea that this would raise the spirits of people in a hard place. I don't think he really thought of the implications. Which is why public displays of altruism rarely work

2. A better thought out way would have been for Leno to perform for free, make people pay through the nose to watch (whoever wants to do that) and then donate the money to some charity

which is why he is well within his rights.

[battleshipcpo]

Just like the bailout money-strings attached. You take and we tell you what to do with it. Whats with these(socialists)people who have made it big do to capitalism and wanting to destroy it.

[Mobbme]

The tickets gave a chance to people who could not afford the tickets to actually come out and watch a world class show.

It's Leno's way of giving back. His show is much more than "an evening of laughs," he's the godfather of Late Night. Way more classy than Letterman.

He probably didn't think that someone would sell the tickets; he should've had a guestlist or something for the guests then.

[Grim]

The answer to this depends on what his true goals for this event are. His actions indicate to me he is either stupid or doing this as publicity stunt just before the Obama interview. As this is supposed to be the land of the free, the man can make an ass of him self if he wants to.
So I say if the little tyrant says no resale, then let him show himself for who he really is.

[pate]

The tickets gave a chance to people who could not afford the tickets to actually come out and watch a world class show.

It's Leno's way of giving back. His show is much more than "an evening of laughs," he's the godfather of Late Night. Way more classy than Letterman.

He probably didn't think that someone would sell the tickets; he should've had a guestlist or something for the guests then.

I'm sorry, but the godfather of Late Night is/was Johnny Carson... Way more classy than either of them... I'm lucky enough to be old enough (barely) to remember Carson... I watched Leno for a little while, but he just wasn't the same, not as funny... I watched Letterman for a while too, but again not as funny...