In just a few weeks, Jay Leno will be retaking his throne on the set of The Tonight Show, ousting the short-lived host, Conan O’Brien. The new Tonight Show will be retracted to only 30 minutes.

But in a move certain to either baffle or amuse television viewers, NBC will be continuing the prime-time Jay Leno variety show by substituting a look-alike personality. As the real Jay Leno (left) resumes his late night (albeit abbreviated) slot later this month, the network has decided to keep the earlier show on the air by using an impostor who bears an uncanny resemblance to the big-chinned funny guy.

“Under Leno’s contract, we couldn’t get him to pull both shows…it just wasn’t feasible,” said a programming executive at NBC. “We wanted to salvage what we could from the old show, so we did a casting call and found this guy who’s an absolute dead-ringer for Leno. And just as funny, I might add! And did I mention this clown…err…clone…works for scale? What do we have to lose? We think we can pull this one off - at least through the next sweeps.”

The impersonator who will be filling Leno’s prime-time shoes, Ronald Arrington (right), an insurance broker and father of three from Huntington Beach, CA, is ecstatic over being selected for the role of stunt-double. “I’m truly amazed…I’m gonna be proud to carry the Leno name,” said Arrington in an interview by phone yesterday. “It’ll be fun!”

While not available for comment, the real Jay Leno did release a brief communique to the press, stating that “he has complete faith in Arrington to live up to the Leno brand, and wishes him well.”

No word yet if Kevin Eubanks and the Tonight Show Band will pull double duty on both shows, though contract negotiations are still ongoing with the musicians.