New York and Los Angeles have always been social rivals, one the epicentre of art, style and culture and the other the global capital of showbiz glamour and Hollywood fame.
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But the two cities are now going to war over the succession plan for retiring talk show king David Letterman.
In a curious statement about the modern economics of television, neither is particularly interested in who gets the job, but rather which city the show is based in.
New York, flush with winning back the iconic Tonight Show earlier this year when Jimmy Fallon replaced Jay Leno, moved quickly to ensure that the baton change at the rival Late Show did not include a change of city.
New York's mayor Bill de Blasio confirmed this week he had called CBS network boss Les Moonves personally to make sure the Late Show wasn't leaving New York when Letterman steps down.
"I had a very good conversation yesterday with [Les]," de Blasio told US media. "I emphasised that New York has been an extraordinary home for the Late Show and that we think it'll be a great home for the Late Show going forward."
"I'm hopeful that that's what will come to pass," he said.
But the rival City of Angels is already moving to push its case to relocate the Late Show there, no doubt bruised by losing The Tonight Show to New York after it had spent four decades based in the NBC studio in the LA suburb of Burbank.
When Letterman announced his retirement, LA's mayor Eric Garcetti immediately wrote to Moonves to put the case for his city.
"I am excited for the opportunity to encourage you to bring CBS' next late-night show to our city - the entertainment capital of the world," Garcetti reportedly wrote to Moonves.
But according to the industry blog Deadline, Garcetti followed that up with a phone call this week as part of a plan to step up the campaign.
Since taking office, one of Garcetti's priorities has been bringing production back to Los Angeles.
In addition to international locations such as Australia, Canada and Britain taking production out of Hollywood, the city also now faces heavy domestic competition, with New York, Atlanta, North and South Carolina and Texas offering appealing tax benefits to TV and film production.
Garcetti has said he is taking his case to California's capital, Sacramento, to plead for a better tax credit program for TV and film production.
De Blasio, meanwhile, will not be swayed.
"I think we have so much to offer," he told reporters. "David Letterman made rich use of his surrounding environment of New York City and I hope that his successor will do the same."
